The Trump administration continued to send Americans mixed signals on who is exempt from its massive effort to remove millions of undocumented immigrants out of the country.
In June President Donald Trump had vowed to protect migrants from raids at farms, hotels and restaurants, quickly reversing course after leaders in these industries expressed concerns about worker shortages.
“Our farmers are being hurt badly,” Trump said in a June 12 Truth Social post. “You know, they have very good workers. They’ve worked for them for 20 years. They’re not citizens, but they’ve turned out to be, you know, great.”
But carveouts for certain industries were rejected by some voices in the White House, such as Stephen Miller, a deputy White House chief of staff who is a top architect of the administration’s immigration crackdown.
A White House official also confirmed the change in direction with USA TODAY in late June, saying anyone in the U.S. illegally is at risk of deportation.
But Trump as recently as July 3 indicated he wanted to protect farmers who depend on migrant labor, saying “we’ll put the farmers in charge” of deportations for migrant farm workers. That prompted a new round of questions from supporters and critics who have been scratching their heads on what the administration’s view of how to treat migrant workers in specific industries.
“I can’t underscore enough, there will be no amnesty. The mass deportations continue, but in a strategic way,” Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said at a July 8 press conference when asked about farm labor.
“And we move the workforce toward automation and 100% American participation, which with 34 million able-bodied on Medicaid we should be able to do fairly quickly,” she added.
About 42% of farm workers in the U.S. between 2020 and 2022 lacked legal status, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
‘Betrayal’ MAGA and other conservative critics speak out
Many of Trump’s critics have been quick to call out the administration for showing a hint of deference to farmers and other industries, saying it could undermine his credibility with the Make American Great Again movement.
“It’s obvious Trump wants to provide amnesty to migrant farm and hospitality workers, and he’s still workshopping how to pull it off without drawing the ire of his base,” former Michigan Rep. Justin Amash said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Conservative activist and author J.J. Carrell said in a July 4 post that he remains a Trump supporter, but that the president is “making a huge mistake talking about” letting farm and hotel workers off the hook.
“Who in the hell is advising this insanity,” he said. “MAGA falls if he pushes this betrayal!”
During the July 8 cabinet meeting at the White House the president tried to downplay any signals that they were giving some migrants a pass. He instead asked cabinet members to explain a program that will keep their pledge to boot millions of undocumented immigrants while ensuring farmers have the labor they need.
Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-Deremer said that her agency, for instance, plans to created a “new office to answer the need of our farmers and ranchers and producers,” but she provided few other details during the roughly 2-hour cabinet meeting.
Other experts have called attention to how chasing out millions of migrants could damage rural American economies by leaving livestock production hamstrung, slowing meat processing and hurt other manufacturing businesses.
Trump, who signaled the shift last week during a stop in Iowa, hinted that administration is working on a proposal that would permit some migrants without proper paperwork to keep working on U.S. farms.
Contribution: Joey Garrison, Zac Anderson
This article originally appeared on Farmers Advance: ‘No amnesty’: USDA secretary says no migrant exemptions despite Trump’s vow to farmers
Reporting by Phillip M. Bailey / Farmers Advance
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
