WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a stunning reversal, former President Donald Trump reportedly told his cabinet during a private meeting that mass deportations of undocumented field and hospitality workers could devastate the U.S. economy — and is now calling for a plan to legalize them instead.
According to MSNBC sources familiar with the closed-door conversation, Trump stunned attendees when he stated, “If we remove all the field and hospitality workers, the economy collapses. We need to find a way to legalize them.” The statement reportedly marked a significant departure from his long-held hardline immigration stance, which fueled much of his base during the 2016 and 2020 campaigns.
This unexpected pivot comes as the former president faces mounting pressure from agricultural, restaurant, and tourism sectors, who warn that deporting the very workforce that powers America’s food and service industries would lead to a national labor crisis. Trump, sources say, seemed to acknowledge those warnings in full for the first time.
“The tone was different,” one insider told MSNBC. “He wasn’t talking about border security or crime — he was focused on economic survival and workforce stability. It shocked the room.” Another source described it as the “most pragmatic he’s ever sounded on immigration.”
The potential policy shift has already sent shockwaves through conservative circles. Some of Trump’s staunchest allies are said to be furious, fearing backlash from supporters who expect a tough stance on undocumented immigrants. Far-right pundits have already begun denouncing the comments online as a betrayal of America First principles.
Meanwhile, labor advocates and immigration reform groups are reacting with cautious optimism. “If this is real, it’s long overdue,” said Maria Mendoza of the American Immigration Council. “These workers are the backbone of the economy, and any serious leader knows you can’t deport your way out of a labor shortage.”
The Trump campaign has yet to release an official statement clarifying the former president’s remarks, but insiders suggest that internal policy memos are already being drafted to explore limited legalization paths for undocumented laborers in essential industries.
Whether Trump’s remarks were a fleeting moment of pragmatism or signal a true pivot in immigration policy remains to be seen — but the ripple effects of this bombshell revelation are already being felt across both political parties.