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.
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