President Donald Trump on Thursday night signaled a shift in his administration’s hardline immigration stance, offering a nod to U.S. farmers who rely heavily on undocumented labor. Speaking at the “Salute to America” event in Des Moines, Iowa, Trump said that farmers who’ve worked with migrant laborers for years should play a role in deciding who stays.
“Farmers know best. They’ve worked with some of these folks for 14, 15 years,” Trump told the crowd. “And then suddenly, they’re ripped off the farm and deported — it’s brutal. We can’t keep doing that.”
The president suggested that new legislation is in the works to allow certain undocumented migrants in agriculture and hospitality to remain in the U.S. under the supervision of their employers.
“We’re going to work smart, we’re going to work strong, and we’re going to put you — the farmers — in charge,” Trump said. “Some on the far-right won’t be happy about it, but they’ll understand.”
Trump called out Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, who was present, crediting her with raising the issue. “Brooke said, ‘We have a problem — farmers are losing a lot of people.’ So we came up with something,” he said, referencing ongoing legislative drafts.
The comments come as the White House continues to send mixed signals on enforcement. In June, the administration initially paused workplace immigration raids targeting farms and hotels, only to reinstate them days later.
Trump reiterated a similar stance later in a Fox News interview, saying that his administration is working on a temporary pass system for agricultural and hospitality workers. “I love our farmers,” he said. “We’re not going to take away people who’ve been good workers for decades just because they may have come in the wrong way. Let the farmer be in charge.”
Still, Trump kept his trademark edge, adding with a grin, “If the farmer doesn’t do a good job, we’ll throw him out of the country. Let the illegals stay — and kick the farmer the hell out, okay? Get ready, farmer.”
Iowa, a key agricultural state with over 86,000 farms, is likely to be central to both Trump’s reelection strategy and ongoing immigration policy debates.
