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The American Dairy Coalition is just one of the many national groups calling for immigration reform as soon as possible. CEO Laurie Fischer says dairy farmers are facing an unprecedented labor shortage. She says with the crisis the administration needs to relieve pressure on the border and provide a lawful path for foreign workers to enter the U.S. on a non-immigrant basis.

Fischer says the H-2A visa program is not working for the dairy industry because they need year-round workers and so a guest worker or similar program is needed.

She says immigrants make up from 50 to 75-percent of the U.S. dairy industry workforce. Theyre often doing jobs domestic workers dont want to do and are positively contributing to their local economy, which needs to be communicated to lawmakers.

Last week 70 groups, part of the Agriculture Workforce Coalition, emphasized the importance of immigration reform in a letter sent to President Donald Trump. The letter says the labor shortage negatively impacts economic competitiveness, local economies and jobs.

Link:
Dairy Groups Calls Labor Shortage a Crisis, Wants Immigration Reform - WNAX

From the moment of Donald Trumps election, immigration advocates in Illinois have been looking for ways to not just survive the next four years but to keep advancing an immigrant-friendly agenda.

On Monday, they unveiled the Illinois TRUST Act, which seeks to extend some of the same local protections enjoyed by undocumented immigrants in Chicago and Cook County to the rest of the state.

A key provision in the legislation would bar state and local police in Illinois from engaging in immigration enforcement unless presented by federal immigration agents with a warrant issued by a judge, supporters said.

Another provision would bar federal immigration agents from entering schools or hospitals without a court-issued warrant.

OPINION

The legislation will likely be portrayed by opponents as an attempt to make Illinois a sanctuary state that runsthe risk of being susceptible to Trumps threats to withhold federal funding.

For that reason, organizers led by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights intentionally avoided use of the word sanctuary and argued the legislation would not violate federal law.

The TRUST Act takes its name from the idea that immigrant communities are more likely to report crimes and cooperate with police if they trust their immigration status will not be made an issue.

Similar legislation has failed in the past because of concerns from local law enforcement officials, conceded Senate President John Cullerton of Chicago, the bills chief sponsor.

This time, Cullerton said, were hopeful the law enforcement community will be supportive, rather than wary.

Cullerton argued the measure would free up police to fight crime instead of enforcing immigration.

But many local jurisdictions are only too happy for their police to aid in the effort to remove those who entered the country illegally.

Cullerton was joined for the announcement by a handful of Democratic senators from the Chicago metro area, including Sen. Daniel Biss of Evanston, an announced candidate for governor.

Biss said he would welcome Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner joining the group at its next press conference to take credit for helping to pass the bill.

But Democrats would probably be just as happy if they could blame Rauner if the legislation fails.

Rauner has declared himself a supporter of comprehensive immigration reform with a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

But the governor has been cautious about spending political capital on immigration issues, especially in the wake of Trumps anti-immigrant campaign, and Democrats have been looking to flush him out.

As of late Monday, the actual legislation had yet to be filed, so I must rely on supporters descriptions of what it would do.

In addition to barring local police from enforcing immigration laws, the measure would also prohibit state or local governments from participating in any federal registry based on national origin or religion.

That is aimed at the Muslim registry Trump promised during the campaign but has since avoided.

Another part of the bill would require law enforcement agencies to complete paperwork certifying some undocumented immigrants as crime victims. The certification allows immigrants to apply for legal status in the U.S. if they can also show they also cooperated in the investigation of the crime.

Immigrant rights advocates, looking for legal ways to protect immigrants in the face of Trumps deportation threats, say many local law enforcement agencies either refuse to prepare the certifications or do so slowly.

This particular type of visa was originally intended to protect victims of domestic abuse. Ill admit Im puzzled by the logic of giving crime victims a leg up in the immigration process.

Lawrence Benito, the coalitions chief executive officer, said the group wants to make Illinois the most welcoming state for immigrants and refugees in the country.

The problem may be that part of Illinois is welcoming, and part of it isnt.

More here:
Brown: Advocates say TRUST us, immigrant bill gives no sanctuary - Chicago Sun-Times

I hope Coloradans can count on Sens. Cory Gardner and Michael Bennet and Rep. Jared Polis to refuse to pass any budget appropriating money toward President Donald Trump's wall. Using our money to build a wall is an irresponsible diversion of resources from real and important immigration issues impacting economic growth.

The executive order to build the wall is based on false premises. It assumes Mexicans come over the border in droves, when fewer Mexicans are immigrating than ever before due to fewer available jobs, increased border security during the Obama administration and changing demographics. The order assumes a wall is going to stop the flow of immigrants when 40 percent of immigrants enter the U.S. legally by air and overstay their visas. Finally, it assumes Mexicans are violent offenders and terrorists. Of 11 million undocumented immigrants, 2.7 percent have been convicted of a felony compared to 8.5 percent in the overall U.S. population. There are no documented acts of terror committed by Mexican nationals.

A real immigration issue is that our economy relies on immigrants to provide a flexible source of labor in many low-paying service jobs, yet there is no easy path to legal status for low-skilled workers. It is a myth that immigrants drain the system. In addition to filling low-paying jobs that keep down prices, undocumented immigrants contribute $139.5 million annually to Colorado's economy in state and local income taxes.

Immigration policy based on building a wall and deporting 11 million undocumented immigrants will take 20 years, cost $425 billion, and shrink GDP by $1.6 trillion. A policy based on sensible immigration reform providing a path to legalization for undocumented low-skilled workers would produce an annual increase in $25 billion for government coffers and increase GDP by $1.4 trillion over 10 years. It just makes sense.

Shelly Wells

Fort Collins

Read the original post:
Immigration reform needed, but a wall certainly isn't - Loveland Reporter-Herald

Many farmers across the East End of Long Island are hoping their congressman will push for immigration reform in order to stabilize the local agricultural industrys workforce and allow them to hire enough workers.

Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) addressed those concerns during the Long Island Farm Bureaus annual breakfast meeting Saturday at its headquarters in Calverton.

Karl Novak of Half Hollow Hills Nursery in Laurel and president of the farm bureau stressed to Mr. Zeldin that agricultural revenue has continued to decrease since 2014 due to a lack of workers.

How is Congress going to help us with immigration reform and a program that will help us gain access to a stable workforce thats willing to perform agricultural tasks? he asked the congressman. Thats a huge issue right now.

Mr. Zeldin said he believes theres a better chance of passing immigration reform only after progress has been made with border security and interior enforcement.

Then youll have more support for what to do with the people who are here illegally right now, he said, to which Mr. Novak and other farm bureau members responded by saying they also support border security.

I would love to be part of getting something across the finish line to deal with everyone who is here illegally, Mr. Zeldin added. Ive never been one of those people who says Deport them all.

Most of the discussion Saturday surrounded enhancing programs such as H-2A, which is one of the current visa systems farmers use to hire workers.

Mr. Zeldin said new secretaries for the Department of Labor and Department of Agriculture are about to be confirmed and there has been discussions about moving the H-2A programs jurisdiction from DOL to USDA in an effort to break the log jam of processing applications.

Yet, some farmers said this is the first season they were able to secure their workforce on-time using the H-2A program. After the meeting, Mr. Zeldin described that news as promising.

This is the first update Im receiving that, for the first time, theyre getting their approvals on time, Mr. Zeldin told the Riverhead News-Review. If DOL is going to process the approvals on time, then that eliminates one of the major reasons if not the primary reason it was being proposed to shift the jurisdiction away.

While some progress has been reportedthis year, farmers said Saturday they believe more needs to be done with immigration reform to address their workforce needs.

Jim Glover of Glover Perennials in Cutchogue said his biggest concern is labor and believes the current political climate surrounding immigration reform is making everyone nervous.

I dont have enough help for my business, Mr. Glover said. I cant even think about expanding my operation in the area which I grow my perennials because of the scary situation in this country with immigration.

Mr. Glover also requested that the there be flexibility to hire seasonal, as well as year-round employees.

I want to hire when I want to hire and I dont want to go through 10 reams of red tape to do so, he said.

Mr. Glover, who said he doesnt participate in the H-2A program, added it currently appears hell be short by a couple of workers this season and has been filling positions creatively with college interns.

Farm bureau administrative director Rob Carpenter said he believes the states decision to increase the minimum wage will also make it harder for farmers to hire workers.

Theyre going to take the easy, fast-food restaurant jobs, he said. Farm labor is a very difficult job and this is where the H-2A and immigration programs are going to help us the most that might not necessarily help some of the other states that have a minimum wage thats closer to the federal minimum wage. The increase in the number of people through the H-2A program is going to be particularly important right here.

The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. Last year, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a state law that will gradually raise the states minimum hourly wage of $9.75 to $15 by 2020.

Among the other requests farmers made to the congressman included allowing laborers to work at different farms under the federal program and extending a workers visa to three years for workforcestability. Mr. Zeldin described those ideas as reasonable.

In addition, farmers said theyd prefer to have the same workers return annually so they dont have to waste money on training new hires. Cutting the red tape mandated in the program, such as advertising in multiple states, would also be helpful, farmerssaid.

Mr. Zeldin asked the group to keep in touch with his office about their concerns and said his office has a staffer who handles immigration issues full-time.

He also thanked the farm bureau for organizing the meeting, which he described as taking place with no distractions. Mr. Zeldin, who has been criticized for not holding a town hall meeting, said his goal is to find settings like Saturdays event to address his constituents concerns in a meaningful way.

Theres just a lot of settings out there with a lot of intensity, he said. There are a lot of settings where the meeting just derails right off the bat. Its very unfortunate.

Outside the building during the meeting, a couple of protesters stood in the rain holding signs demanding Mr. Zeldin hold a town hall meeting. Riverhead Town police were present in the parking lot during the congressmans meeting and later confirmed there werent any incidents or arrests stemming from the protest.

Mr. Zeldin said after the meeting he enjoys attending the annual event because the farm bureau consists of a diverse group that represents many industries.

They have an understanding that their voices are a lot stronger if theyre all fighting for theseissues together, he said. It was a great discussion.

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Photo: Long Island Farm Bureau presidentKarl Novak, right, andCongressman Lee Zeldin at Saturdays annual breakfast meeting in Calverton. (Credit: Jen Nuzzo)

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Immigration reform dominates Zeldin's meeting with farmers ... - Riverhead News Review

The dramatic rapprochement with Communist China occurred under Richard Nixon's administration and was successful largely due to the former strident anti-communist stand taken by that administration. Congress was won over in part by the Nixon Administration given their strong anti-communist credentials and thus strong credentials with the Republican hawks in Congress.

Likewise, the Regan Administration was successful with its rapprochement with the Communist Soviet Union, in part for the same reasons and was successful in their negotiations with Gorbachev in the tearing down of the Berlin Wall.

President Donald Trump, with his bombastic and strident anti-immigrant stance toward our nation's former immigration policies, appears similarly well positioned to advance a long stalled comprehensive immigration reform bill aimed at dealing with the estimated 11-plus million undocumented immigrants living amongst us in our nation. He has obviously established his creds with the hawks on immigration policy and as such would appear to be the most likely to succeed with advancing a resolution to this long simmering and polarizing immigration stalemate that has paralyzed the lives of most of these undocumented immigrants and their families.

The absence of a comprehensive immigration reform policy has likewise created severe uncertainty among the wide array of businesses that employ large numbers of undocumented immigrants such as our construction industry, our wide ranging agriculture industry and service industries. We all can agree that the current system is broken, but now appears to be the best time for advancing a resolution that could pass both branches of Congress, if not too draconian. It would be encouraging if our two local congressmen, Morgan Griffith and Bob Goodlatte could get behind such a timely effort.

More here:
Lemmon: Time for comprehensive immigration reform? - Roanoke Times