Michele Tafoya, the Republican candidate for the Senate in Minnesota, has indicated potential support for a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants while discussing her stance on a recently proposed Republican amnesty bill.
In an appearance on Will Cain’s radio show on April 9, Tafoya addressed the DIGNIDAD Act, a bill backed by several Republican representatives including Maria Salazar from Florida and Mike Lawler from New York. They argued that it shouldn’t be labeled as amnesty. Tafoya mentioned that while she disagreed with certain aspects of the bill, she still found some parts potentially acceptable.
She expressed a need to review the details of the Dignity Act, stating to Cain, “The bill could be really good, and we might have to let some troubling elements pass.” Regarding immigration, she described it as a “very sensitive issue.” She recounted an interaction where someone asked her about a balance of people entering versus leaving the country, saying, “I don’t think that’s a number I want to set.”
Tafoya further shared her experiences chatting with individuals supporting tougher immigration restrictions, remarking, “It’s a zero-sum game for them; they think we should just boot people out and keep others from coming in. I mean, this issue is way more nuanced.”
She also highlighted discussions with farmers in Minnesota who depend on seasonal labor and argued for a fairer system for these workers entering the U.S. “We ought to consider those who have been here for many years. Should we grant them full citizenship? Or is there a case for varying levels of citizenship? Everyone who lives here, as a citizen, should probably be a taxpayer,” she asserted.
In parallel, a lawsuit was filed by a group of 18 farmworkers with the United Farm Workers of America against regulations from the Trump administration. The plaintiffs argued these rules would lower wages for U.S. farm workers and expand the controversial H-2A guest worker program.
The complaint asserts that these regulations would reduce the domestic workforce while significantly increasing foreign worker participation. According to the United Farm Workers, almost 400,000 foreign workers could be involved by 2024. Estimates suggest the regulations could lower H-2A wages by about $5 to $7 per hour, transferring around $2.46 billion annually from workers to employers. Critics claim this would negatively impact wages for U.S. laborers and lead employers to favor foreign workers over U.S. citizens or legal residents.
The lawsuit further alleges that the regulations were enacted without sufficient public feedback and go against the Administrative Procedure Act. A similar attempt during Trump’s first term was halted by a court due to its adverse effects on American worker wages and conditions.
In her conversation on the radio, Tafoya remarked that when evaluating legal status and citizenship options, many categories should be taken into account. She raised concerns about the vetting process under the current administration, noting the sheer number of immigrants complicates thorough background checks. “It’s a very bad situation, and the volume is just too huge,” she noted, making it nearly impossible to ensure proper scrutiny.
Referencing the case of relatives of a key Iranian military figure, Tafoya criticized the vetting failures, including reports of them living lavishly in Los Angeles.
While discussing the Dignity Act, Tafoya acknowledged the challenges of verification, saying, “We don’t know. They don’t know. There’s no record; it’s impossible to know.”
Despite previously urging Donald Trump not to run again, a viewpoint she later recanted, Tafoya’s campaign has gained mixed reactions from Minnesota Republicans due to her prior positions. Nevertheless, she has quickly garnered support from the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
Attempts to contact Tafoya for further comments went unanswered prior to publication.
