WC Wisconsin News

Today, Congressman Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin introduced a new bill aimed at establishing a legal process for undocumented agricultural workers to transition to legal employment status. The proposed legislation, known as the Agriculture Reform Act of 2025, seeks to allow certain agricultural workers who are currently inadmissible or removable under immigration law to voluntarily deport, pay a fine, and reenter the U.S. as temporary agricultural workers after meeting specific requirements.

The bill does not provide a pathway to citizenship or amnesty but instead offers a structured opportunity for undocumented agricultural workers to secure legal employment through voluntary departure and lawful reentry.

“This bill is a real solution to addressing the mass influx of illegal aliens created by the Biden administration’s open border policies while also addressing the critical workforce needs of our agricultural industry,” said Rep. Van Orden. “For those willing to follow the law and return to the U.S. the right way, it offers a legal pathway to a legal job. Our farmers cannot function without a stable workforce, and my bill will help stabilize the agricultural workforce without granting amnesty or citizenship.”

The process outlined in Rep. Van Orden’s bill includes several steps: self-reporting by covered aliens who have worked in U.S. agriculture since January 1, 2020; payment of fines by both workers and employers; flexibility for employers in staggering worker departures; mandatory stay outside the U.S. for at least 30 days; and eligibility criteria that must be met upon reentry as temporary agricultural workers.

Additional provisions include immunity from prosecution for employers employing covered aliens and waivers on grounds of inadmissibility/removability during the "covered period."