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FFVA: Immigration Bill Would Hurt Agriculture
The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote this week on the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005 (H.R. 4437), introduced by House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R-WI). Passed by the House Judiciary Committee last week, it includes provisions for mandatory electronic verification for new and existing employees and higher employer penalties, but contains no language addressing illegal immigrants.
FFVA faxed letters to lawmakers today stressing the importance of guest workers to the Florida agriculture industry. In part, the letter read, "This bill only increases immigration enforcement by placing additional resources along the border to stop illegal entry and by placing additional burdens on employers to ensure their workforce is legally able to work in the U.S."
The letter continued, "Because of the very serious consequences this bill will have upon our industry, we ask that you vote against its passage unless it also includes a workable and affordable guest worker program that is conditioned toward the unique needs of agriculture."
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