Trump C-SPAN Call: Farm, Hotel Workers and Deportations

On a call to C-SPAN, President Trump said tax-paying farm and hotel workers have not faced the same enforcement push as people with serious criminal records, but he named no change in written policy.

President Trump phoned in to the premiere of C-SPAN’s new evening program, Washington Journal Primetime, on Monday night, Nov. 9, for a call that lasted about eight minutes, according to a Roll Call Factba.se transcript. Host Mimi Geerges asked whether long-settled workers he had described in his weekend 60 Minutes interview, such as farm workers, hotel staff and waitresses who pay taxes, should still be deported, and whether he would halt those deportations. Trump did not say he would halt them. He said the administration had not pushed as hard on those workers as on murderers and drug dealers, saying of waitresses and farm workers: “Not even close,” according to the transcript and Fox News.

The remarks came the same day Trump told reporters at the White House that “there won’t be amnesty” and that his policy has not changed, as covered here Monday. Read together with his 60 Minutes comments that enforcement might be too tough, the C-SPAN call adds a description of how enforcement is supposedly being carried out, not a new policy. Later in the call, Trump was also asked about the House impeachment effort against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

What Trump said about immigration on the call

Based on the Factba.se transcript and accounts by Fox News and The Independent, the immigration portion covered four points:

The border: he said the administration stopped what he called the worst inflow of people, describing it as including people from prisons, gang members and drug dealers who arrived under President Biden. He also claimed 17 months had passed without a single illegal border entry; he offered no data for that claim on the call.
Enforcement focus: he said removals have centered on people he described as the worst of the worst, naming murderers, drug dealers and rapists.
Workers: pressed twice on tax-paying workers, he said the administration has not pressed those groups nearly as hard, but did not promise to stop arrests or removals.
Other claims: he repeated an assertion that other countries have sent people from mental institutions to the United States, a claim The Independent described as unsubstantiated.

According to the transcript, the words amnesty, ICE and Stephen Miller did not come up, and Trump did not describe a deal with Democrats, who will control both chambers when the new Congress convenes Jan. 3, 2027.

Does this change who ICE arrests?

Not on paper. Trump described how he sees enforcement being applied; he did not announce a memo, directive or exemption. No public DHS or ICE guidance released since the call sets aside farm, hotel or restaurant workers, and on Nov. 10 Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin wrote on X that amnesty will never be on the table, according to OSV News. Anyone without lawful status remains removable under the Immigration and Nationality Act regardless of work history or tax payments.

There is also a precedent for caution. In June 2025, after Trump voiced concern about raids on farms and hotels, officials briefly paused worksite operations at farms, hotels and restaurants, then lifted that pause within days, CBS News reported at the time. An informal shift in emphasis can be reversed just as quickly.

Available data also complicates the worst-of-the-worst description. A Migration Policy Institute analysis cited by OSV News found that most people ICE deported had no criminal conviction, and that a meaningful share had lived in the United States for a decade or more. Those figures predate the C-SPAN call and do not measure any change since the midterms.

What it means for workers and employers

Undocumented workers: a lower stated priority is not protection. ICE check-ins, traffic stops and collateral arrests continue, and a prior removal order can be enforced at any time. Speaking with a qualified attorney about possible relief, such as cancellation of removal, asylum or family-based options, remains the main safeguard.
Employers: Form I-9 obligations, E-Verify rules where they apply, and exposure in worksite investigations are unchanged. Remarks on a call-in show are not a defense in an audit.
No program to apply for: there is no new status, work permit or registration tied to these remarks. Anyone charging fees to enroll people in one is offering something that does not exist.

What to watch next

The signals to watch are written ones: any DHS or ICE memo on enforcement priorities, changes in worksite operations, and whether the White House backs a specific bill once the new Congress is seated. Our report on Stephen Miller’s move to chief of staff explains why many observers expect the administration’s enforcement line to hold despite the softer tone.

Quick answers

What did Trump say on C-SPAN about immigration?
He said the administration has focused on murderers, drug dealers and other serious offenders, and has not pressed tax-paying farm, hotel and restaurant workers nearly as hard. He did not promise to stop deporting them.

Are farm and hotel workers now exempt from deportation?
No. No written exemption has been issued, and people without status remain removable.

Is an immigration deal or amnesty coming?
Trump and Mullin have both rejected amnesty. Trump has spoken of a possible deal for long-term residents, but no bill or terms have been released.

When was the call?
Monday evening, Nov. 9, 2026, on the premiere of Washington Journal Primetime.

This article is for general information and is not legal advice.

Sources

Vasanth Vaidyanathan, Esq.

Administrator

Vasanth Vaidyanathan is an immigration attorney with over 20 years of experience focused exclusively on U.S. immigration and nationality law. He holds an LL.M. from California Western School of Law, San Diego and advises individuals and businesses on employment and family-based immigration matters, including H-1B, PERM, EB categories, and adjustment of status. He has also been a featured speaker at immigration seminars across the U.S. To reach Vasanth visit: https://www.vnathan.com/

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