Washington, DC (BN24) – U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he is open to allowing migrant laborers to remain in the country if the farmers who employ them agree to vouch for their status, offering a rare concession amid his otherwise hard-line immigration policies.
Speaking at a campaign-style event at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, Trump said he has been working with the Department of Homeland Security to address the concerns of farmers who rely heavily on seasonal migrant workers to harvest their crops. He also pledged to coordinate with the hotel industry, which similarly depends on immigrant labor.
“If a farmer is willing to vouch for these people in some way, Kristi, I think we’re going to have to just say that’s going to be good, right?” Trump said, turning to U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. “We don’t want to do it where we take all the workers off the farms.”
The president’s comments reflect pressure from agricultural producers, particularly in Iowa and other Midwestern states, who have warned that stepped-up deportations are threatening to leave fields unharvested and businesses short-staffed.
Trump has made strict border enforcement a centerpiece of his administration. Under his policies, Homeland Security Secretary Noem has led a sweeping campaign to deport people who crossed into the United States without authorization.
But on Thursday, Trump signaled he is willing to carve out exceptions for industries that depend on migrant labor to function.
“We have to help our farmers,” he said, to applause from the crowd in Iowa, where agriculture remains a pillar of the economy.
