Trump pitches plan allowing farmers to vouch for illegal immigrant workers facing deportation

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 nation's 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. 

"You know, they've had people working for them for years. And we're going to do something … we're going to sort of put the farmers in charge," Trump told the crowd of people in attendance. "If a farmer has been with one of these people that worked so hard – they bend over all day, we don't 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 – if a farmer is willing to vouch for these people, in some way, Kristie, I think we're going to have to just say that's going to be good, right?"

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President Donald Trump, left, announced a new program for immigrant farmworkers. (Apu GOMES / AFP, left, AP Photo/Evan Vucci, right.)

"We don't want to do [border security] where we take all of the workers off the farms," Trump added. "We want the farms to do great."

According to the Office of the United States Trade Representative, Iowa is the nation's 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 "get thrown out pretty viciously."

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"We can't do that," Trump added. "We got to work with the farmers and people that have hotels and leisure properties."

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. 

President Donald Trump speaks at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa, on Thursday, July 3, 2025. Trump intends to lay out his plans to celebrate the nation's 250th anniversary, in addition to emphasizing his bid to codify tax, immigration and welfare reforms in Congress. (Photographer: Scott Morgan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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 "serious radical-right people" within the GOP, asking the crowd rhetorically if they think these folks "will understand."

After the president first brought up the proposal earlier this week, critics have already started sounding off.

"So, if I’m to understand this correctly, we should look the other way regarding illegal immigration as long as it’s in the construction, hotel, or restaurant industries? This is far beyond disappointing, it’s infuriating," California Republican state Sen. Melissa Melendez wrote on X.

Hank Scott, owner of Long and Scott Farms in Mount Dora, Florida, looks on as his crew harvests this spring's crop of cucumbers. (Robert Sherman, Fox News)

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The president noted Thursday evening that the move will put farmers "in charge" and ultimately the responsibility for any problems that arise will fall to their feet.  

"If the farmers don't do a good job, we'll throw them the hell out of the country. We'll let the guys – we'll let the illegals stay, and we'll throw the farmers the hell out," Trump said. "Okay, get ready, farmer, I'm telling you."

Fox News Digital's Cameron Arcand contributed to this report.