With Congress back in session after the Fourth of July holiday, farm leaders are ramping up the pressure on their representatives, hoping that Congress can reach a deal on immigration sooner rather than later.
Immigration reform has been a major goal of farm lobbyists for more than a decade. With a significant chunk of American farm labor being done by undocumented immigrants, farmers have been eager for major immigration reforms, hoping that changing federal laws will entice more farm laborers into the United States.
These efforts have been stymied by legislation on the state level. A number of Southern and Southwestern states have passed tough new immigration bills in the last several years, frightening away undocumented farm workers and costing farmers tens of millions of dollars in lost revenue.
Groups like the Western Growers are hammering House Republicans for their unwillingness to compromise on immigration reform. “Voters are going to lose complete faith in the party’s ability to legislate. All the national statistics show the American people believe in immigration reform,” said the president of Western Growers.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer