The White House is clearing the air over farmworker deportations.
White House Border Czar Tom Homan says ICE will continue entering U.S. farms, but says they will only focus on criminal activity. It comes after a Washington Post report earlier this week citing unnamed sources and claiming the Administration was reversing course on marking farmworkers safe.
Speaking outside the White House yesterday, Homan told reporters it is illegal to knowingly hire an illegal alien. He is calling on Congress to address farmworker labor rules.
Farmers in the Pacific Northwest are sounding off over labor rates. They warn it is challenging, especially with overtime rules.
“I think the other thing that we need to seriously look at and address is our overtime law. We have the single-most restrictive overtime law in the country for overtime pay in agriculture. Washington state farmworkers command some of the highest wages in the country. And when you ask their employer to pay time-and-a-half after 40 hours a week, they can’t afford it,” said Washington Policy Center Ag Director Pam Lewison.
Lewison is asking state leaders in Washington to get on board with neighboring states, who they say are taking steps to keep farmers profitable.
As ag lawmakers in the Senate await the House vote on the Farm Bill, they are eager to discuss the challenges farmers face before it is their turn to take up the critical legislation.
March 26, 2026 04:29 PM
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The Trump Administration’s new rule limiting CDL renewals for immigrant truckers is seeing mixed reactions in agriculture. While some support the change, it is raising concerns about higher freight costs and impacts on U.S. grain export competitiveness.
March 19, 2026 02:35 PM
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The changing political climate in America is leading to a drop in migrant crossings near the U.S.-Mexico border, where ranchers like Dr. Mike Vickers say they witnessed horrors from death to child trafficking.
January 30, 2026 11:47 AM
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RFD NEWS correspondent Frank McCaffrey recently spoke with Dr. Mike Vickers, a South Texas rancher, who says illegal border crossings have dramatically declined in the last year.
January 27, 2026 11:51 AM
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Rural population growth and stabilizing economic indicators point to post-pandemic recovery, but uneven income, shifting industries, and regional divides remain key challenges for rural communities.
January 23, 2026 08:00 AM
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RFD NEWS Correspondent Frank McCaffrey speaks with Texas’s Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Vicente Gonzalez about USMCA renegotiation and its impact on U.S.–Mexico agriculture trade.
January 17, 2026 05:00 PM
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