President Donald Trump handily defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024, running on a core set of objectives that included stringent border security and mass deportation of illegal aliens.
Since taking office, Trump has largely kept those promises, with border crossings falling dramatically and ongoing deportations.
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But in recent days, the president has faced a growing number of defections from GOP lawmakers who have signed onto legislation that would grant legal status to farm laborers in the country illegally, following growing concerns from farmers who are worried they won’t be able to harvest their crops.
As such, House Agriculture Committee Chairman G.T. Thompson has proposed a broad expansion of a federal farm labor program that would allow certain undocumented immigrants working in U.S. agriculture to apply for temporary legal status.
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The long-awaited legislation, which the Pennsylvania Republican formally introduced Tuesday, closely reflects the priorities that the dairy industry and other labor-intensive agricultural sectors have advocated.
Those industries have urged Congress to expand legal workforce options, arguing they face persistent labor shortages that they say have been intensified by Trump-era immigration policies.
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Some provisions of the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act of 2026, however, are expected to face scrutiny from immigration hawks in Congress as well as labor unions.
In a Dear Colleague letter obtained by POLITICO, Thompson said his proposal is driven by the need to reform what he described as a “broken” program, despite the broader political debate surrounding the southern border.
“With the border now secure, it is time to address these shortcomings and provide fair and legal pathways for all of agriculture to obtain workers when they are unable to find U.S. citizens willing to perform these noble but arduous tasks,” Thompson wrote.
Thompson’s proposal would allow certain undocumented immigrants already working in U.S. agriculture to apply for H-2A status.
The legislation would also waive certain immigration violations for eligible migrants seeking to enter the visa program, a provision that is likely to face opposition from more conservative members of Thompson’s party.
According to a House Agriculture Committee document explaining the bill obtained by POLITICO, the provision was included “due to significant concerns from stakeholders” about ensuring existing agricultural workers have a pathway to transition into the H-2A program.
“This will ensure that aliens who have self-deported or those who are here and currently working in agriculture but whose only crime is unlawfully obtaining employment will be eligible to apply for H-2A status,” the policy document said.
🚨 House Republicans Advance Bill Granting Legal Status to Illegal Alien Farm Workers
Nearly 50 House Republicans are pushing H.R. 9535, allowing illegal aliens present as of May 31, 2026, who work on farms to gain legal employment status and remain in the U.S. The legislation… pic.twitter.com/ruFO8RMxb5
— Morse Report (@MorseReport) July 20, 2026
Earlier this month, Vice President JD Vance and the Department of Labor’s inspector general announced a new investigation into alleged abuse of U.S. work visas by foreign nationals, describing it as part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to combat fraud.
Speaking at an anti-fraud event in Milwaukee, Vance said Labor Department officials had issued dozens of subpoenas as part of the investigation, which he said is intended to ensure that “American jobs … go to American workers and not foreign fraudsters.”
Labor Department Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito told the New York Post that investigators believe the alleged schemes have cost the U.S. medical industry hundreds of millions of dollars and have also affected other employment sectors.
He said some of the operations under investigation are believed to involve forced-labor networks and human trafficking organizations.
Labor’s Office of Inspector General has already “uncovered widespread schemes in which employers and labor brokers submitted fraudulent applications, exploited foreign workers through coercive wage-kickback arrangements, and undercut American workers by flooding the market with below-wage labor.”
Department of Homeland Security assessments so far have found that as much as 21 percent of the H-1B petitions were fraudulent, The Post reported.
D’Esposito also told Fox Business’ Mornings with Maria that the investigation will examine alleged abuses involving both H-1B visa holders and recipients of employment-based green cards.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
