Immigration Crackdown Leaves California Fields to Rot Without Workers

The immigration debate is now beginning to impact the American farming community, as farmers are unable to find sufficient numbers of agricultural migrant workers to harvest crops. Farmers claim that increased enforcement of immigration laws and deportations are to blame for their plight. Nine out of every ten migrant workers were not born in the U.S., with the majority of them coming from Mexico. According to the Pew Research Center, however, more Mexicans are leaving the U.S. than arriving in the U.S. This labor shortage is so serious that entire fields of crops are being left to rot, simply because there is no one to pick them. For just two California counties, that’s a loss of over $13 million. What most Americans don’t realize is that they eventually will feel the impact of this problem through significant increases in food prices. Continued worker shortages could result in drastic price jumps for a variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts, and other crops. Meanwhile, drought and flooding are other issues having serious implications for farmer profits, although low oil prices could offset some of these losses. Most farmers have seen a 50% net decrease in profits over the last four years, so additional financial losses may be enough to bankrupt some farmers, or at least leave them in serious financial straits. In response, farmers are offering wages to migrant workers that are well above minimum wage, as well as other benefits, in an effort to recruit workers. They also are proposing a guest visa program during harvest season that would allow them to hire sufficient numbers of workers. The deportation defense lawyers of Landerholm Immigration, A.P.C. continue to handle deportation defense claims on behalf of individuals who have been detained and charged with removal. We know how devastating it can be for individuals to face the potential of being forced to return to a country where they previously were persecuted, where they no longer have family or a home, or where they will experience significant violence and unrest. We care about you and your family, and we want to help you remain in the country. Call our office today to set up your legal consultation.