According to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, President Donald Trump’s vision for farm labor includes an all-American workforce.
During a Tuesday press conference at USDA headquarters in Washington, Rollins said the president remains firm in his stance that there will be no amnesty under any circumstances for farmworkers lacking legal status to be in the U.S.
“I and the rest of our cabinet certainly support that, effectuate that and make sure that happens every single day,” Rollins told reporters.
Rollins said she and Trump have spoken “once or twice” about mass deportations. According to her, Trump believes his “promise to America” is to ensure the country has a 100% American workforce. While acknowledging that mass deportations will continue, she cautioned those deportations must be done strategically so as not to compromise the U.S. food supply.
“Ultimately, the answer on this is automation,” Rollins said. “Also, some reform within the current governing structure.”
She went on to suggest there are “plenty of workers” in America, contending there are “34 million able-bodied adults” currently enrolled in Medicaid.
Mixed messages from White House
While Trump has made no secret of his plans to crack down on illegal immigration, he’s offered conflicting plans for how to protect farmers who depend on foreign labor. In April, Rollins said the president would make easing restrictions for noncitizen farmworkers a “top priority.” At the time, she suggested that it would include reforms to the H-2A visa program and other new legal pathways to citizenship.
During a cabinet meeting that same month, Trump floated a plan for farmworkers in the country illegally to go back to their home countries and then return to the U.S. legally if their employers cited a need for their return. He has offered no additional details since.
In mid-June, Trump indicated he planned to protect agricultural and hospitality workers following multiple immigration raids at farms and meatpacking plants. Days later, the Department of Homeland Security reversed course and announced it would resume immigration enforcement in those industries despite their reliance on immigrant labor.
Potential impact
While it is hard to pinpoint an exact number of farmworkers in the U.S. illegally, USDA’s Economic Research Service estimates 40% of crop agriculture workers are not authorized to work in the country. Other estimates have concluded that the number is likely closer to 50%, with higher percentages in some parts of the country.
In a June 17 news release, Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, said he was concerned about the resumption of immigration enforcement on farms and ranches. He called on Congress to address the issue, noting that current agriculture workforce programs don’t meet the needs of year-round farmers. He added they are often too expensive for many farmers to utilize.
“Unfortunately, domestic workers do not apply for farm jobs, despite aggressive hiring efforts,” Duvall said. “Without farmworkers, vegetables will be left in the fields, fruit will remain unpicked, and cows will go un-milked. The end result is a reduced food supply and higher grocery prices for all of America’s families.”
During a Tuesday afternoon Cabinet meeting, Secretary of Labor Lori Chaven-DeRemer said her department was looking at ways to modernize immigrant labor laws, including the H-2A program. She added the Department of Labor has created a new office to assist farmers and ranchers, though she offered no specifics on how it planned to do that.