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Trump Proposes Employer-Vouched Legal Exemptions for Undocumented Farm and Hotel Workers

It aims to address labor shortages by letting employers vouch for undocumented farm and hotel workers under a draft framework that remains undefined.

Farm workers gather produce on June 12 in Moorpark, California.
President Donald Trump speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on April 30, in Washington, DC.
DES MOINES, IOWA, UNITED STATES - JULY 3: President of the United States Donald J. Trump delivers remarks to a crowd at an America250 rally in Des Moines, Iowa, United States, on July 3, 2025. (Photo by Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images)
President Donald Trump speaks at a rally at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, Thursday, July 3, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa.

Overview

  • President Trump announced early July that his administration is drafting legislation to grant temporary legal status to undocumented workers in agriculture and hospitality through an employer-vouching mechanism
  • Immigration and Customs Enforcement has issued guidance pausing worksite raids at farms, meatpacking plants, restaurants and hotels in cases without serious criminal concerns
  • The National Restaurant Association and other industry groups are pressing for targeted deferred-action programs requiring background checks, tax compliance and employer oversight
  • A power struggle between Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and hardliners led by Stephen Miller has produced mixed signals on enforcement priorities
  • Right-wing supporters and commentators have condemned the carve-out as industry-specific amnesty, and the White House has yet to clarify key implementation details