WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama told United Farm Workers President Arturo Rodriguez Wednesday that his immigration executive order will protect 250,000 farmers, half of them from California.

“We were pleased to learn from the president today that at least 250,000 farm workers (and at least 125,000 California farm workers) will be eligible for deportation relief under his executive action,” Rodriguez said in a news release. “The president committed to working with UFW to do everything possible to make sure that every farm worker who qualifies for the program gets enrolled, and we are prepared to work with him and Congress to finish the job by passing legislation that fully addresses this issue once and for all.”

Obama is scheduled to address the nation today this evening and on Friday travel to Las Vegas to promote the plan.

Rodriguez and Obama met after Rodriguez held a mock Thanksgiving feast in front of the White House, in which farm workers from across the country presented an array of food items harvested and processed by immigrant workers — and urged Obama to issue an executive action on immigration that would be broadly inclusive of farm workers.

Obama’s promised executive action should be the “most inclusive executive action possible,” Rodriguez said as he stood behind a table arrayed with fruits and vegetables picked by undocumented workers, and turkeys processed by them.

In an interview, Rodriguez said the number of farm workers who find relief from the threat of deportation will depend on how long undocumented workers will have to have been living in the U.S. to qualify for the program Obama announces.

Farm workers are often recent arrivals, he noted, which means the UFW favors a short residency qualifying period.

Rodriguez said it’s likely some farm workers would qualify for relief if Obama includes a provision that would allow the parents of children born in the U.S. to remain in this country. He noted that many children of farm workers qualified under the program that allows the students known as “Dreamers” to stay in the U.S.

Rodriguez said Thanksgiving food “will come to American tables” through the labor and exploitation of farm workers. He also noted that much American wine comes from grapes picked by undocumented farm workers.

Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., said he is tired of being interviewed on television by journalists who leave the set and drink Chardonnay made from grapes picked by the undocumented workers.

Undocumented farm workers are found in the most remote parts of the country working in slaughterhouses “because they found a place to work,” Gutierrez said.

Gutierrez said his message to Obama is “don’t forget the farm workers. Be bold, be generous and be quick.”

Farm employers have expressed dissatisfaction with Congress over the lack of congressional action on immigration reform, but they are divided over whether to support executive action, The Wall Street Journal reported this week.