Trump Proposes Path for Undocumented Workers to Return Legally With Employer Support

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Trump Proposes Path for Undocumented Workers to Return Legally With Employer Support

 

President Donald Trump floated the idea of a possible pathway for undocumented immigrants working in U.S. farms and hotels to return to the country legally if they exit voluntarily and receive support from their employers. Though light on details, Trump’s remarks hint at a shift in tone toward a more pragmatic approach to immigration in key labor sectors.

 

“We have to take care of our farmers, the hotels and, you know, the various places where they tend to, where they tend to need people,” Trump said at the meeting, which was open to the press. He outlined a vague process whereby undocumented workers could leave the country and return as legal laborers if their employers submitted letters vouching for their character and work ethic.

 

“So a farmer will come in with a letter concerning certain people, saying they’re great, they’re working hard,” Trump explained. “We’re going to slow it down a little bit for them, and then we’re going to ultimately bring them back. They’ll go out. They’re going to come back as legal workers.”

 

 

The phrase “slow it down a little bit for them” remained unclear, especially given the administration’s aggressive pursuit of immigration enforcement throughout Trump's tenure. The policy direction included ramped-up arrests and deportations in line with his campaign promise of sweeping deportations of undocumented immigrants.

 

Still, Trump indicated a willingness to support those who left the country “in a nice way.” He added, “We’re going to work with them right from the beginning on, trying to get them back in legally. So it gives you real incentive. Otherwise they never come back. They’ll never be allowed once a certain period of time goes by, which is probably going to be 60 days.”

 

Pressed for more information, White House spokesman Kush Desai issued a statement saying the Trump administration “is committed to delivering on the mandate that the American people gave to President Trump with a whole-of-government approach to secure our borders, enforce our immigration laws, mass deport criminal illegal migrants, and put America First.”

 

Though the U.S. currently operates guest worker programs such as H-2A for agricultural workers and H-2B for temporary jobs in sectors like hospitality and tourism, employers often voice frustration over regulatory hurdles and processing delays. Trump has previously used the H-2B program in his own businesses.

 

According to a White House official speaking to NBC News, Trump is interested in improving both the H-2A and H-2B visa programs. Advocates for farmworkers and immigrants have consistently pushed for better oversight of these programs to prevent exploitation and poor living and working conditions.

 

Trump’s comments followed remarks from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who promoted a new policy requiring undocumented individuals to register with the Department of Homeland Security through an app called “CBP Home” or risk criminal charges and fines. A federal judge has allowed the rule to proceed.

 

Undocumented labor plays a significant role in the U.S. economy. The Department of Agriculture estimates that around 40% of crop farmworkers lack legal status, and the American Immigration Council found that approximately 1.1 million undocumented workers were employed in the hospitality industry in 2023—representing 7.6% of that sector’s workforce.

 

“What we are seeing is President Trump beginning the negotiations of what a Trump-based immigration plan would look like,” said Artemio Muniz, an attorney and employer who works with the American Business Immigration Coalition, though he spoke in a personal capacity. “We now want to secure the undocumented workers because we don't want to lose them, because if we do, we see an increase in costs. I respect the fact that Trump is willing to initiate the discussion.”

 

Based on a report by NBC News  2025-04-12