When Trump became president, worries surged throughout the country for a multitude of reasons. One was that it would take too hard a stance on immigration, something that could destroy farms. Without immigrants, farms would lose a large chunk of their workforce. With roughly half of the total farm workers being illegal, finding replacements for such a huge loss would be nearly impossible. Most farms would suffer crop losses and would lose money if the illegal immigrant workers were to be deported. Listening to these concerns, a group of farmers and representatives held a meeting with Trump to learn more about his plans and what they can expect.
Reassurance
One of Trump’s key reasons for holding the meeting was to reassure these individuals. Knowing that these workers are integral to the farms, and to food production as a whole, Trump wanted them to understand that he would help them. Trump’s goal of reassurance focused on letting them know that there would be workers available and that the government would help with programs in place to find workers.
The farmers and representative felt that Trump listened to them and that Trump has real goals in mind to protect the farms. He tackled their two biggest concerns – cracking down on illegal immigrants in the country and the H-2A visa program – and helped them to understand his plans moving forward.
The Plans
While no information is available about these plans, everyone involved felt that the meeting was productive and helpful. It gave valuable information and peace of mind for those worried about Trump’s immigration plan. Other areas of discussion included infrastructure and trade, amongst others, but the focus was on the workers primarily.
The Future
Looking ahead, there are quite a few changes necessary. One of the biggest is the H-2A visa program. There are requirements and there is a lot of hassle involved, and it is not reliable or timely. Trump has said that he wants to improve the program, but the impact might not make much of a difference. These visas take up only 10% of the total workforce, not enough to make up for the loss of illegal immigrants.
With few natives getting jobs in farming and the difficulties facing the current workforce, farmers and representatives are putting their hopes on new programs and Trump’s promises. He has made it clear that he will work hard for them, and they do have trust in his words, so time will only tell how this turns out.