Conservatives are claiming that congressional Republicans are betraying American agricultural workers with this new amnesty bill, the Daily Caller reported on Thursday, the 23rd.

On June 30, Representative Glenn Thompson (R-PA) introduced the "Securing Agricultural Workforce Act (SAWA)," which aims to allow illegal immigrants working in the agricultural sector to remain in the United States.

Politico reported on Wednesday, the 22nd, that several figures, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) and former U.S. Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino, have criticized the bill.

In an X post on Monday, the 20th, DeSantis stated, "No amnesty! Amnesty is not what the people voted for in 2024!"

Bovino added in an X post on Tuesday, the 21st, "These Republicans have betrayed Trump’s deportation pledge with an ag bill that includes amnesty provisions," adding, "There is only one way they will get the message. We must create a massive wave to vote them all out and replace them with true immigration hardliners."

According to a press release from Rep. Thompson, as of June 30, the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), the Western Growers Association (WGA), and over 400 other agricultural organizations support SAWA. Furthermore, SAWA has bipartisan support with more than 40 co-sponsors from both parties.

In the press release, Rep. Thompson stated, "There is no greater threat to national security than a disruption to our food supply," adding, "The Securing Agricultural Workforce Act (SAWA) of 2026 contains the practical, common-sense reforms needed to prevent such disruptions by securing a workforce that meets the demands of agriculture, both now and in the future."

On the other hand, the Daily Caller noted that Rep. Thompson, who chairs the House Agriculture Committee, reportedly received over $550,000 from agriculture-related lobbying groups between 2025 and 2026, and reported that there is significant opposition to the SAWA bill.

Chris Chmielenski, president of the Immigration Accountability Project (IAP), warned in an interview with the Daily Caller that SAWA would have a "terrible impact" on current American agricultural workers.

"First, the bill expands the H-2A agricultural guest worker program to include year-round jobs in sectors like dairy and forestry. It also sets a cap on the annual adjustment of wages paid to foreign workers, which will ultimately lower the wages of American agricultural workers," he said.

The U.S. issued approximately 400,000 visas through the H-2A program in fiscal year 2025.

This is not the first time Republicans have offered broad amnesty to foreign agricultural workers. President Ronald Reagan signed the "Immigration Reform and Control Act" in 1986, which reportedly granted amnesty to over one million illegal immigrants by 1992.

"We have tried this before in 1986, and the result was a disaster," said Chmielenski. "That amnesty program was rife with fraud, and poor vetting processes eventually led to one of the 9/11 terrorists receiving amnesty."

Joe Chatham, director of government relations at the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), also said that the bill is "nothing short of amnesty for illegal alien workers, and it will encourage more illegal immigration."

"As if that weren't enough, this bill would fundamentally change the H-2A system. By expanding the program, instead of creating job opportunities for U.S. citizens or modernizing the labor force, it will induce more industries to rely on cheap foreign labor. FAIR strongly opposes this bill and will continue to fight for reforms that put the interests of Americans first."

Meanwhile, SAWA does not appear to have an easy path forward in Congress.

According to a July 17 report by NOTUS, while the House referred SAWA to the House Judiciary Committee on June 30, the committee decided to exclude the bill from its immigration legislative package.

However, the committee's chairman, Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH), told NOTUS that he is willing to consider visa changes "in the future" after the immigration package is passed.

In an interview with NOTUS, Rep. Thompson said, "I remain convinced that the 'Securing Agricultural Workforce Act (SAWA) of 2026' is the best agricultural workforce solution proposed in years."

When asked by Daily Caller White House correspondent Reagan Reese at a press conference on Tuesday, the 21st, whether he supports SAWA, President Donald Trump replied, "I don't know much about it, but I will take a look at it."

U.S. NNP = Representative Journalist Sung Ku Hong / Special Correspondent NNP info@newsandpost.com