The Trump administration plans to implement a process whereby farmers in Iowa can vouch for hard-working, law-abiding migrant farmworkers who may be facing deportation, so that they can remain in the U.S.
The proposed process was shared by President Donald Trump during an event at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on Thursday night, kicking off a year of patriotic celebrations meant to honor the nationâs 250th birthday. Trump said the new plan will take place in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security and that legislation for the measure is currently being drafted, while speaking Thursday evening from Iowa.
âYou know, theyâve had people working for them for years. And weâre going to do something ⌠weâre going to sort of put the farmers in charge,â Trump told the crowd of people in attendance. âIf a farmer has been with one of these people that worked so hard â they bend over all day, we donât have too many people that can do that, but they work very hard, and they know him very well, and some of the farmers are literally, you know, they cry when they see this happen â if a farmer is willing to vouch for these people, in some way, Kristie, I think weâre going to have to just say thatâs going to be good, right?â
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âWe donât want to do [border security] where we take all of the workers off the farms,â Trump added. âWe want the farms to do great.â
According to the Office of the United States Trade Representative, Iowa is the nationâs second-largest agricultural exporting state.
While announcing the new plan, Trump cited cases he had heard of when migrants who have worked on farms for 15 years âget thrown out pretty viciously.â
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âWe canât do that,â Trump added. âWe got to work with the farmers and people that have hotels and leisure properties.â
Earlier this week, when Trump previously hinted at the new immigration exemption for farmers, he also suggested the move could be implemented for workers in the hospitality industry, as well.


While sharing the new immigration proposal with the crowd at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on Thursday night, Trump spoke to potential criticisms of the move by âserious radical-right peopleâ within the GOP, asking the crowd rhetorically if they think these folks âwill understand.â
After the president first brought up the proposal earlier this week, critics have already started sounding off.
âSo, if Iâm to understand this correctly, we should look the other way regarding illegal immigration as long as itâs in the construction, hotel, or restaurant industries? This is far beyond disappointing, itâs infuriating,â California Republican state Sen. Melissa Melendez wrote on X.
The president noted Thursday evening that the move will put farmers âin chargeâ and ultimately the responsibility for any problems that arise will fall to their feet.
âIf the farmers donât do a good job, weâll throw them the hell out of the country. Weâll let the guys â weâll let the illegals stay, and weâll throw the farmers the hell out,â Trump said. âOkay, get ready, farmer, Iâm telling you.â