De facto amnesty: Nearly 50 House Republicans push bill letting illegal-alien farm workers off the hook

A group of nearly 50 House Republicans is pushing legislation that would grant de facto amnesty to illegal alien farm workers who were unlawfully present in the United States as of May 31, 2026.

A de facto amnesty means people who broke the law are effectively allowed to stay or avoid punishment, even though the government has not officially declared an amnesty.

U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, introduced H.R. 9535, the “Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act of 2026,” on June 30.

There are 53 total cosponsors: 49 Republicans and 4 Democrats, and it is currently sitting in the House Judiciary Committee.

Democrat Cosponsors (4)

• Donald G. Davis (NC-1)
• Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34)
• Maggie Goodlander (NH-2)
• Josh Riley (NY-19)

Republican Cosponsors (49)

• Rick W. Allen (GA-12)
• Don Bacon (NE-2)
• James R. Baird (IN-4)
• Cliff Bentz (OR-2)
• Mike Bost (IL-12)
• Monica De La Cruz (TX-15)
• Troy Downing (MT-2)
• Chuck Edwards (NC-11)
• Gabe Evans (CO-8)
• Julie Fedorchak (ND-At Large)
• Randy Feenstra (IA-4)
• Brad Finstad (MN-1)
• Michelle Fischbach (MN-7)
• Charles J. “Chuck” Fleischmann (TN-3)
• Mike Flood (NE-1)
• Brett Guthrie (KY-2)
• Bill Huizenga (MI-4)
• Brian Jack (GA-3)
• Mike Kelly (PA-16)
• Trent Kelly (MS-1)
• David Kustoff (TN-8)
• Darin LaHood (IL-16)
• Nicholas A. Langworthy (NY-23)
• Laurel M. Lee (FL-15)
• Celeste Maloy (UT-2)
• Michael T. McCaul (TX-10)
• Mark B. Messmer (IN-8)
• Daniel Meuser (PA-9)
• Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-1)
• John R. Moolenaar (MI-2)
• Tim Moore (NC-14)
• Dan Newhouse (WA-4)
• Mike D. Rogers (AL-3)
• David Rouzer (NC-7)
• Maria Elvira Salazar (FL-27)
• Austin Scott (GA-8)
• Pete Sessions (TX-17)
• Michael K. Simpson (ID-2)
• Lloyd Smucker (PA-11)
• David J. Taylor (OH-2)
• Claudia Tenney (NY-24)
• David G. Valadao (CA-22)
• Jefferson Van Drew (NJ-2)
• Derrick Van Orden (WI-3)
• Joe Wilson (SC-2)
• Robert J. Wittman (VA-1)
• Ryan K. Zinke (MT-1)

The most controversial section would allow illegal aliens already living in the United States to obtain H-2A agricultural worker status by waiving multiple grounds of inadmissibility and deportability.

Specifically, the bill provides waivers for certain immigration violations committed before an alien receives H-2A status, provided they otherwise qualify.

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