Mike Lindell Proposes Six-Month Amnesty Program in Minnesota

Republican candidate for governor Mike Lindell proposed a six-month amnesty program in Minnesota to allow undocumented immigrants without criminal backgrounds to apply for non-expiring conditional work visas. According to Lindell, the plan would include a deportation moratorium and require applicants to undergo background checks and fingerprinting. While the visas would permit recipients to work and pay taxes, they would not grant citizenship or voting rights.

Lindell further suggested that CEOs who continue to hire undocumented workers for cash after the registration period should face up to 90 days in prison. The proposal comes as approximately 50 Republican legislators seek to pass the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act of 2026, which aims to move undocumented migrants into an expanded H-2A visa program for the food sector.

The plan drew sharp criticism from within the Republican Party, including Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth. Demuth characterized the proposal as amnesty that would make the state a magnet for illegal immigration, noting that she previously ended taxpayer-funded health care for undocumented immigrants. Legal analysts noted that the plan would require federal cooperation or congressional action, as a governor lacks the authority to create federal visas or halt federal removals. Lindell is currently competing in a tight race for the August 11 Republican primary.