President Donald Trump said Friday that American farmers may continue employing undocumented migrant workers, provided they are willing to take “responsibility” for them—an idea that has drawn both confusion and criticism.
“We’re looking at doing something where, in the case of good, reputable farmers, they can take responsibility for the people that they hire, and let them have responsibility, because we can’t put the farms out of business, and at the same time, we don’t want to hurt people that aren’t criminals,” Trump stated, according to remarks published by Latin Times.
The president’s proposal comes after a series of contradictory statements on immigration enforcement. Just a week prior, Trump suggested that undocumented workers in key industries such as agriculture might be exempt from immigration raids in order to avoid disrupting the economy.
Following those remarks, Latin Times reports that internal directives were sent to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), instructing agents to scale back operations in agriculture, hospitality, and food service. However, the reprieve was short-lived. By Sunday, Trump had posted on Truth Social ordering what he called “the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History,” primarily targeting large, Democrat-led cities.
By Tuesday, enforcement was back in motion: nearly 100 workers were detained at the Delta Downs racetrack in Vinton, Louisiana. According to Eric J. Hamelback, CEO of the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, workers fled as drones flew overhead, Latin Times reported.
The business community reacted quickly. According to The Guardian, undocumented immigrants make up 4.6% of the U.S. labor force, representing more than 7 million people, many of whom work in agriculture, construction, and hospitality.
Shay Myers, who runs Parma, one of the nation’s largest onion farms, issued a stark warning:
“We will not feed our people without these workers.”
The Department of Agriculture estimates that over 40% of the agricultural workforce is undocumented.
The shifting enforcement landscape is already affecting the workforce. Bloomberg reports that the U.S. labor market contracted in May, in part due to a decline in foreign-born workers. In California, both Ventura County’s agricultural sector and Los Angeles’ Fashion District are reporting significant absenteeism.
Since a major ICE operation on June 6, the Fashion District has seen a 40% drop in foot traffic and a 24% drop in employee attendance, according to Bloomberg.
Trump’s proposal to transfer some legal responsibility for undocumented workers to employers remains vague, with no concrete mechanism laid out. On Thursday, Tom Homan, Trump’s border policy advisor, said workplace raids would continue, but stressed that individuals with criminal records would be prioritized.
Yet Friday’s remarks marked another potential shift in strategy, adding to a climate of uncertainty and confusion already decried by employer associations and legal observers.
Source: Latin Times
