President Donald Trump is facing sharp criticism from legal scholars, immigrant rights advocates, and civil rights groups following remarks he made during an August 5, 2025 interview on CNBC’s Squawk Box.
In discussing agricultural labor and immigration policy, Trump asserted that undocumented immigrants are “naturally” inclined toward farm work, contrasting them with residents of inner cities.
He went further, relaying a conversation with a farmer in which he claimed immigrants “don’t get a bad back” because “if they get a bad back, they die.”
Critics say the comments are dehumanizing and echo long-discredited racial and ethnic stereotypes historically used to justify slavery and exploit immigrant labor.
Such stereotypes have included the notion that certain groups are biologically predisposed to manual labor, endure more pain than others, or are inherently more expendable in hazardous work.
Legal analysts note that while the president’s remarks may not constitute unlawful discrimination on their own, they can influence public perception and policymaking in ways that reinforce systemic racism and bias in labor and immigration laws.
Some warn that framing immigrant workers as uniquely suited for physically demanding jobs risks diminishing their rights, safety protections, and economic mobility.
The backlash comes amid ongoing debates over U.S. immigration policy, labor shortages in agriculture, and the ethical implications of relying on vulnerable populations for low-wage, high-risk work.
Advocacy groups argue that such rhetoric undermines efforts to protect workers from exploitation and erodes the principle of equal dignity under the law.
