By Diane L. Ley – Earlier this year, the U.S. Senate passed a commonsense immigration reform measure in a strongly bipartisan fashion. This was an important step in the right direction – especially for producers, farm workers and rural communities.
The historic legislation passed by the Senate provides a pathway to earned citizenship for the 11 million people who are in our country today without authorization. They will have to go to the back of the line, pay fines and settle taxes they owe our nation. It would modernize the system that we use to bring skilled workers into the United States. It would also put in place the toughest border security plan that America has ever seen – building on steps that have reduced illegal border crossings to their lowest level in decades.
The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office found that the Senate bill would reduce the deficit over the next 20 years by nearly $850 billion, and the Social Security Administration estimates that this immigration bill would add nearly $300 billion to the Social Security system in the next decade.
This bill is also important for rural America. Recently, the White House economic team released a new report highlighting the positive economic benefits that commonsense immigration reform would provide for agriculture and rural communities.
The report highlights research showing that without a stable workforce, America’s record agricultural productivity will decline in coming years. In Hawaii, for example, eliminating the immigrant labor force would cost an estimated $50.6 – $91 million in short-term production losses.
The Senate bill addresses this concern by taking much-needed steps to ensure a stable agricultural workforce, and a fair system for U.S. producers and farm workers. In particular, it would give qualifying farm workers an expedited path to earned citizenship, as long as they continue to work in agriculture. A new temporary worker program would replace the current H-2A visa program over time, and allow farm workers a three-year visa to work year-round in any agricultural job.
This commonsense system would not just prevent a decline in production – it would grow the economy. Research highlighted in the White House report projects that an expanded temporary worker program would increase both production and exports across our agriculture sector.
Under the Senate proposal, USDA would play a greater role in implementing farm labor programs and ensuring that farmers and ranchers have all the information they need. As Congress continues to work on this issue, Secretary Vilsack and all of us at USDA are committed to working with lawmakers to be sure they have any technical assistance they might need to finalize these proposals.
Immigration reform is very important for farmers, farm workers and communities across rural America. In Hawaii, our agriculture workforce is made up of 31% noncitizens, and their hard work has helped our producers to succeed; yet, to remain competitive and keep driving economic growth, we need rules that work. Rural America and Hawaii needs Congress to act as soon as possible to carry forward the work of the U.S. Senate and fix today’s broken immigration system.
Diane L. Ley is the State Executive Director USDA Farm Service Agency Hawaii and Pacific Basin
there are a lot of disturbing reasons why the present immigration reform legislation is not in America's best interest.one of them is that thieves,rapists,murderers,gang members,all on the run are still coming up and seek sanctuary and get a whole bunch of generous social benefits also.i don't think these critters will be looking for work at zippy's or in your papaya fields anytime soon.immigration reform should also include de-criminalizing illegal drugs pronto! otherwise illegal alien drug dealers will rule and use deadly warfare in us.
We, the people, are sick and tired of seeing our country,
being swarmed and overrun by illegal immigrants. https://bit.ly/18jKLsA
The report highlights research showing that without a stable workforce, America’s record agricultural productivity will decline in coming years. In Hawaii, for example, eliminating the immigrant labor force would cost an estimated $50.6 – $91 million in short-term production losses.
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