Trump Sparks Outrage: Says Undocumented Immigrants Are “Naturally Fit” for Farm Work, Claims Inner-City Americans “Won’t Do It”

Trump Says Undocumented Workers Are “Naturally” Suited for Farm Labor, Doubts Inner-City Americans Will Do the Job

President Donald Trump is facing criticism after suggesting that undocumented immigrants are “naturally” fit for agricultural work and that Americans living in “the inner city” won’t take those jobs.

The comments, first reported by Politico and made during an August 5 interview with CNBC, come as the Trump administration weighs how to help farmers meet labor demands without appearing to grant amnesty to undocumented workers.

While Trump has pursued aggressive deportation policies during his second term, his administration has made exceptions for certain farm operations, citing the industry’s dependence on migrant labor. Officials are reportedly considering programs that would require undocumented farm workers to leave the country and reenter legally through work visa channels. The proposal has sparked backlash from anti-immigration groups, who argue it would set a dangerous precedent.

“I want to work with them,” Trump told CNBC. “In some cases, we’re sending them back to their country with a pass back in legally… We can’t let our farmers not have anybody.”

Trump added that agricultural labor is difficult to replace, even with American workers, saying that efforts to recruit urban residents for the jobs have failed.

“People that live in the inner city are not doing that work. They’re just not doing that work. And they’ve tried. We’ve tried. Everybody’s tried. They don’t do it. These people do it naturally,” Trump said, referring to migrant farm laborers.

In one anecdote, Trump recalled asking a farmer what happens when workers suffer back injuries. The farmer’s reply — “They don’t get a bad back, sir, because if they get a bad back, they die” — prompted Trump to call the workers “very, very special people.”

The administration has also explored expanding the H-2A visa program, which allows foreign nationals to work temporarily in agriculture, to include non-seasonal industries like dairy farming.

Critics say Trump’s framing reinforces stereotypes about both immigrants and urban Americans while sidestepping broader immigration reform. Supporters counter that the comments reflect the economic reality facing U.S. farms, which rely heavily on migrant labor for survival.