Outlook for Immigration Reform

[cheryl.tevis]

As the heaviest stretch of the primary election season concludes, some believe immigration reform efforts may revive. Republicans generally are prevailing against their conservative activist opponents. In North Carolina, Rep. Renee Ellmers, who favors comprehensive reform, defeated Frank Roche, a radio host who rejeced any steps toward reform.

Please take a few minutes to read "Heavy Lifting" in SF's May issue. What do you think about the chances for the House to move on this issue in 2014? 

--Cheryl Tevis SF

[kraft-t]

Less than zero Cheryl. Any such legislation would be a victory for Obama and that is not going to happen!

[Kay/NC]

I look forward to that feature, Cheryl. Labor in agriculture, outside your Grain Belt region at least, is strongly dependent upon workers who were born elsewhere.

[cheryl.tevis]

Dairy producers in Wisconsin and Minnesta are increasingly dependent on workers who were born outside the U.S.

The Agriculture Coalition for Immigration Reform (over 70 ag associations and businesses) supports Senate bill S.744, a comprehensive reform package. House majority speaker Boehner has made it very clear that he wants to the House to move on reform. The dairy producers that I interviewed for the story strongly favor a better system. No matter what type of farm operation you have, labor is looming as a growing challenge in the future.

[k-289]

Our Nebraska election process has immagration front and center and you may have seen the Fremont Ne. headline about housing rentals to non qualified immagration folks--- Having a large meat packing industry depending on this supply of " cheap " labor puts an interesting spin on the so called conservative political landscape our state has with the cost difference being supplied by the taxpayer --- 

[sw363535]

There is no part of agriculture that is not dependant on foreign labor.  Either at production, construction, transportation, or at the end user stage.  the word cheap is not -------- and the word should be "willing".  

You have to find a mind that is not addicted to a video game------------ who was once a child who actually played outside.

Cheap is a lie.  It is very expensive.  But well worth it to have someone who likes to be productive.

[BA Deere]

This country doesn`t have a immigration reform problem, this country has a immigration ENFORCEMENT problem.  This country has the lowest labor participation rate since 1978 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/11/08/the-u-s-labor-force-is-still-shrinking-ra... 

I know I know, the wealthy pig and dairy cow and chicken plantation owners claim up and down "Americans won`t do this work...the Mexicans will" ....well if that really is the case, this country has BIG problems that bringing MORE people in will not solve. 

Right now, if someone takes advantage of all the government bennefits, they can make $15/hr sitting on their tuchus watching the Steve Harvey show..so no wonder 1/3 of the labor force chooses that path.

What we are going to have to decide is "do we want open borders or preserve our present standard of living?" .  If we choose the former, I would suggest a little trip to Latin America and ask ourselves is this the culture that we want to import?  Because it`s way different than what we have now.

If the plantation owners want cheap foreign labor, that can be accomplished without touching immigration.  Issue a temporary work card, that has worked for western sheep ranches for years. Not many can handle the loneliness of herding sheep, but the Peruvians can, during the grazing season Peru sheep herders come in, watch the sheep and in the fall they get paid and they go home.  Next year they do it all again.

My fear is this is all become so politicized that no one is in the state of mind to make a sustainable solution.  I mean when you have crooks like Kochs, Soros, Zuckerberg and Harry Reid all pushing for a common goal, it can`t be good for the common folks.

[bruce MN]

Some comments from one prominent and influential Latin American gentleman: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/pope-demands-redistribution-of-wealth

[k-289]

 SW  - it is a political hot flash up here -  my neighbor went to a canadate viewing and explained he wanted more services and lower taxes and also more jobs - coming right up --- 

[sw363535]

Yea 289 ------ we get lots of lip service-- telling us what we want to hear,  but after the election you'll get ----- "what immigration problem?"  

Ask them about the agreement with the UN that we take our "fair share" of potential immigrants from every long term refugee camp world wide. My favorite school teacher is not working with the Samalian language ---- his 4th different culture in 10 years.  ---- sw ks

Our government is not going to address a problem they are so much a part of.

Government desperately needs population growth to pay social benefits, and new immigrants want a job and a new home, and as Bob Barker would say----"A new Car".          A match made in heaven.  

Immigrants will take many years to discover they can collect $15 to sit and play the video game.  They will work for $20 and not realize it is only $5 in american terms, and nothing after SS transfer taxes.

We desperately need a mirror we can see ourselves in ------------- or maybe a Will Rogers.

"Fast tracking" will be the immigration answer.  Never federal responsibility for controling of boarders, or airport boarders.

Smoke and mirrors on immigration----- just like usda did to hang a family of melon farmers with the blame so the press wouldn't ask why this problem wasn't caught in the inspection process.

------------

Back on foreign labor issue ------------ H2A visa holders are used extensively in agriculture.  In Sw ks  the US Labir department requires all employers of H2A's to pay @ $13.50 per hour and all travel expenses from origin.  Housing, utilities, food, transportation, tools, workman's comp. ------------------------ shorten the thought  ---------- it is not a cheaper issue, it is a willing, LEGAL, and available issue.

Why is it a hot flash up there?  Who works in the meat processing, chicken houses, cattle feeding, cement, trucking,  , roofing, cleaning, and FARM worker carreers.  In sw ks many of  the jobs on farms are manned by illegal immigrants who shuffle positions every three years to avoid the computer generated social security inquiry letter.  They are good workers who are paid well.  

I just try to stay away from the "illegal" label so I don't end up made an example by that politician when we try to pin him down on immigration issues.