A bipartisan group of House lawmakers is advancing legislation that would significantly reshape immigration policy for agricultural workers, with 47 Republicans joining four Democrats in support of a bill that would grant legal status to undocumented farmworkers and expand the existing H-2A visa program.
The legislation, authored by Rep. Glenn Thompson of Pennsylvania, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, would allow undocumented immigrants who worked in agriculture as of May 31, 2026, to obtain H-2A farmworker visas. The bill would waive certain immigration violations, including penalties for illegally obtaining agricultural employment, and shield employers who hired undocumented workers from accountability.
According to Politico, Thompson characterized the measure as addressing labor shortages in the agricultural sector. “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 in a Dear Colleague letter.
Scope of Affected Workers
The number of agricultural workers potentially affected by the legislation is substantial. A Department of Labor survey indicates approximately 327,000 crop production workers lack authorization to work in the United States. However, that figure excludes workers in dairy, poultry, hog, and other livestock operations, suggesting the total population could be considerably larger.
Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture reveals the composition of the agricultural workforce from 2020 to 2022: 32 percent of crop farmworkers were U.S.-born, 7 percent were naturalized citizens, 19 percent were authorized immigrants such as green card holders, and 42 percent had no work authorization. These statistics also exclude livestock and dairy workers.
Key Provisions of the Bill
The proposed legislation makes several significant changes to current immigration law and labor practices. It designates H-2A workers as “essential,” protecting them from the impacts of government shutdowns. The bill specifies that “all functions necessary for the processing, certification, and admission of H-2A workers shall be deemed essential to the protection of life and property and such functions shall continue uninterrupted” during funding lapses.
Another major change would extend the duration of H-2A visas from the current one-year maximum to three years. This modification would also extend the period between required assessments of whether employers can hire native-born workers before seeking international labor.
A document explaining the bill states it 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.”
Industry Support
The American Farm Bureau Federation has publicly endorsed the legislation, according to Politico, which reported that the bill reflects the priorities of agricultural industry lobbies.
Political Context
The bill emerges amid ongoing debate about immigration policy during President Donald Trump’s second term. Trump has previously sparked speculation about potential amnesty programs for agricultural and hospitality workers, though he and cabinet officials including Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer have denied that amnesty is under consideration.
The White House has not issued a statement on the Thompson bill and did not respond to The Federalist’s request for comment.
List of Supporters
In addition to Thompson, the 50 other co-sponsors include Democrats Don Davis of North Carolina, Josh Riley of New York, Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, and Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire.
The 46 other Republican supporters represent states across the country, with multiple representatives from agricultural states including Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Iowa, Texas, Montana, Georgia, and Minnesota. Notable co-sponsors include Michael McCaul of Texas, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke of Montana.
The full list of Republican co-sponsors includes representatives from 30 states, reflecting broad geographic support within the party for addressing agricultural labor concerns through immigration policy changes.
Source: thefederalist.com — https://thefederalist.com/2026/07/20/47-republicans-are-pushing-amnesty-for-illegal-alien-agriculture-workers/