Durbin Questions Brooke Rollins, Nominee For Secretary Of Agriculture, In Senate Agriculture Committee Hearing
Durbin questioned Ms. Rollins about protecting the immigrant workforce that many Illinois farms rely on
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today questioned Brooke Rollins, President Trump’s pick to be the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, during her nomination hearing.
Durbin began his questioning by asking Ms. Rollins about President Trump’s promise to conduct a mass deportation of undocumented immigrants, many of whom are critical to farm operations.
“I want to talk about one thing that is in the headlines this morning and will be for a long time – the mass deportation of undocumented people in the United States… I have been surprised by the response I received among farmers and ranchers and people involved in agriculture when it comes to the immigration issue. I told you about the dairy farmer who said, ‘Senator Durbin, we are going to close down a dairy operation after three generations in our family because we need immigrant workers for dairy operations in Illinois,’” Durbin said.
“[It] turns out that 40 percent of the farmworkers in this country are undocumented. You know what that means? They are vulnerable to being deported. If they are deported, what are the farmers going to do?... Immigration is critical. Your organization [America First Policy Institute] has said some pretty strong things… They’ve called for deportation at a scale that actually matters and massive deportation efforts,” Durbin continued.
“I just need to ask you, what is your policy on immigration?” Durbin asked Ms. Rollins. “We’ve got to get down to the real world. Not the criminals…but those who work every single darn day to pick a crop… Can we expect this Administration to be raiding farms and going after the immigrant farmworkers?”
Ms. Rollins responded that she shares President Trump’s immigration priorities, including mass deportation, while noting that she does not want to harm farms and ranches that rely on immigrant workers. She replied that immigrants who have committed crimes while in the United States will be targeted for deportation first. Ms. Rollins also explained that she will prioritize the modernization of the H-2A program, which allows migrants to temporarily work at agricultural jobs in the U.S.
“Dangerous people shouldn’t be here. And if they are here, they should be gone. But when we’re talking massive deportation, we’ve gone beyond dangerous criminals. I just wonder if we ought to give fair warning to farmers and ranchers across America that if you have immigrant labor, you can expect federal agents to come and search your property. Is that in the future for farmers and ranchers under the mass deportation plan?” Durbin asked.
Ms. Rollins said that she is not aware of the details of President Trump’s plans regarding deportation of farmworkers, but she said she would ensure that the President is aware of the potential impact on the agricultural sector.
“I certainly hope so. These men and women, immigrant labor, on our farms are doing backbreaking work every single damn day and have done it for years. Many of them, 40 percent of them, are undocumented. If they are going to be deported, we see a lot fewer fruits and vegetables that we take for granted every time we go into the store,” Durbin replied.
Durbin concluded his questions by asking Ms. Rollins about Project 2025’s suggestion of capping crop insurance payouts.
“Project 2025… calls for capping crop insurance payouts to $40,000 per farmer and terminating USDA long-term export promotion programs. What’s your position on this Project 2025 proposal?” Durbin asked.
Ms. Rollins noted that her organization, the America First Policy Institute, was not involved in building out Project 2025. She stated that, if confirmed, she would work to protect farmers first and foremost.
Video of Durbin’s remarks is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s remarks is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s remarks is available here for TV Stations.
Durbin met with Ms. Rollins yesterday to discuss her nomination. During their meeting, Durbin and Ms. Rollins spoke about Illinois’ agricultural priorities, including preserve a strong nutrition safety-net to help families afford groceries, protecting the immigrant workforce on Illinois farmers, and promoting longstanding biofuels laws like the Renewable Fuels Standard from interference from petroleum interests.
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