President Donald Trump said Thursday he plans to sign an executive order “pretty soon” aimed at addressing labor shortages in U.S. agriculture and hospitality caused by his administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement, Reuters reported.

Trump acknowledged that many of the undocumented workers being deported from farms and hotels are difficult to replace, calling them “experienced” and noting the strain on employers. The remarks mark a notable shift in tone as the administration faces mounting pressure from industry groups over labor disruptions.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the president is looking at every potential tool in the toolkit to support growers, but added that long-term solutions will likely require congressional action.

"The president understands that we can't feed our nation or the world without that labor force, and he's listening to the farmers on that," Rollins told CNBC in an interview following Trump's announcement.

Farm groups, including the American Farm Bureau Federation, have warned that increased deportations could lead to supply chain disruptions similar to those seen during the Covid-19 pandemic. Roughly half of the country’s 2 million farmworkers are estimated to be undocumented.

While details of the potential executive order remain unclear, the administration’s public consideration of such a move highlights the tension between its immigration stance and the economic reliance on undocumented labor in key industries.