Nisei Farmers League President Pushes for Legal Pathway for Farm Labor
In a conversation with Nick Papagni, “The Ag Meter,” Manuel Cunha, president of the Nisei Farmers League, weighed in on recent comments from former President Donald Trump supporting a national work permit system for agriculture and other essential sectors.
“The farmer wants everybody to have a work permit, and that’s the way to go,” Cunha stated.
“Nobody leaves the United States to go get registered. You register here.”
Cunha referenced the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, which allowed agricultural workers to legalize their status without leaving the country. He believes a similar approach is not only possible but urgently needed today.
A Broader Path to Legality
Cunha advocates for a system where current undocumented workers—across all sectors including:
- Agriculture
- Restaurants
- Construction
- Healthcare
- Landscaping
- Elder care
—could receive temporary legal status and ultimately transition to permanent residency.
“We need to have that happen now to all industries,” he emphasized.
Listen to the Full Interview
Manuel Cunha and Nick Papagni covered a wide range of pressing issues in California agriculture, including farm labor policy, regulatory challenges, and the importance of reforming immigration systems to reflect economic realities. Listen to the full interview, and read more about Manuel’s responses to the issues.
Nick Papagni, “The Ag Meter,” reporting for AgNet West.