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The solution is comprehensive immigration reform resulting in a legal way to bring in seasonal workers for industries like farm work. The problem is neither party actually wants to update immigration law in any meaningful way because the status quo provides political points to both sides.
This 👆👆👆 Democrats and Republicans should be able to get behind many reforms.
Automation, pay livable wages, lower taxes to incentivize migration, probably a million ways
Pro
Oh, yeah true fair. I can get behind that.
Chief
The truth is Americans don’t want these jobs.
Migrants are willing to work, but it seems neither Democrats not the GOP want to find an immigration solution for them.
So it’s the status quo until the foreseeable future.
https://www.latimes.com/projects/la-fi-farms-immigration/
Construction is also seasonal. Plenty of legal - and illegal - laborers do it. It pays much more than farm work. It is also more dangerous and grueling. It’s all about the pay.
It’s not very complicated: increase the pay. The reality is Americans don’t want to do the job for that pay level. It is basic labor arbitrage.
Farmers and politicians know that if they pay higher, products will be more expensive which will result in more imports and reduce sales. Ultimately shutting down these farms and the jobs with them. The current situation helps farmers and illegal immigrants. Potential legal laborers are doing other minimum wage jobs and/or are getting government support. If prices were raised both farmers and legal laborers would suffer in the medium term (3-5years). Consumer prices would increase slightly. Politicians can’t afford this. Imports from Mexico and Central America would strive however
Conversation Starter
AA were our competed by low cost illegals
Rising Star
Pay better wages. When I was young, my older brother worked a farm job and made about $7 and hour. 30 years later that is now $10.50.
Why? Lots of undocumented workers who have no rights and live in virtual slavery. They have few other options and not a high standard for wages, so they take what they can.
Farms are offering well above minimum wage and still not able to attract workers.