Trump Offers Legal Return Plan for Workers

Apr 15, 2025
By Farms.com

Trump Proposal Supports Farm Workforce Program

President Trump has announced a new proposal that would allow undocumented workers, especially those in agriculture and hospitality, to leave the U.S. and re-enter legally. The goal is to ease the burden of labor shortages while maintaining legal employment practices.

Trump said the plan would help both workers and employers by creating a process for legal re-entry. “We have to take care of our farmers and hotels... where they need the people,” he said during a Cabinet meeting. He also mentioned working with farmers directly to recommend workers who could return through legal channels.

According to a USDA report, about 42% of crop farm workers are undocumented, with many settled in communities across the U.S. With this significant portion of the workforce at risk, farmers have turned to the H-2A visa program, which filled over 384,000 positions in 2024. However, its temporary nature makes it unsuitable for livestock operations.

Efforts to reform farm labor laws continue. The Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which aimed to legalize undocumented farm workers and expand the guest worker program, passed in the House in 2021 but did not advance in the Senate.

Chuck Conner, president of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, welcomed Trump’s comments. “As details of this proposal become clearer, NCFC looks forward to working with the Administration,” he stated.

Farm groups and industry leaders have warned that mass deportations could disrupt the entire food system. They are hopeful that this new policy direction can provide needed relief and a stable future for American agriculture.

Photo Credit: istock-fangxianuo

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.