It feels like some weird circle of life thing is happening in the immigration discussion.
The lefties at Politico just published this opinion piece on the H-2 low-skilled worker visa program and it makes the argument that the legal program is abusive ... so we should just encourage illegal immigration.
If Trump deports illegal immigrants then ... we'll have to have more legal immigration. And that will cost everyone more money?
Here's Politico:
While many of these workers are undocumented — about 40 percent of U.S. farmworkers are undocumented, for instance — research suggests that a majority of them are legal immigrants.
Note, these aren't true legal immigrants but rather "refugees" and others on Temporary Protected Status who may have used the CBP One app or a similar program to enter the country without a truly legal immigrant status.
Moving on.
The food industry's immigrant workforce is massive, and the administration has put it squarely in its crosshairs.
If the Trump administration follows through on its most ambitious mass deportation plans, who exactly will replace these essential workers?
If the illegal immigrants are deported ... who will pick the crops?
Sound like southern slaveowners much?
But wait, it gets better. Or worse.
According to Politico, the Trump admin's contention that Americans can do these jobs just isn't realistic. Pro-immigrant groups just don't see it happening for some reason.
They predict Trump will expand the H-2 program.
This argument is, frankly, insane.
But while the food industry may like the H-2 program, these visas are notoriously abusive to foreign workers. That's because they effectively create a captive workforce: In contrast to other immigrant workers in the U.S. — including recipients of certain humanitarian programs, like TPS — H-2 workers' presence in the country is tied to a particular job and employer. H-2 employees are eligible to work for whoever sponsors their visa, and it can be prohibitively difficult for them to switch jobs even if they're mistreated. If they quit, they're sent back to their home countries, which would ruin many H-2 workers and their families financially.
Yes, the H-2A and H-2B visas, used in farming, agriculture, and other low-skilled labor, is "abusive" to workers 🙄.
The argument here is that it's better for everyone if illegal immigrants and "refugees" are hired because the workers would be better off.
Again, this is assuming that Americans won't fill the jobs and that the border is secure and that Trump allows an increase in work visas -- all big assumptions.
I mean, yes, it's true that H-2 workers are beholden to corporations which hire them; same with H-1 workers too, by the way. But the idea that they are so much worse off than illegal immigrants just because they are documented instead of undocumented is ...
The author could have just said, "Orange Man bad and anything Orange Man do we will find a way to make bad!"
Would have really helped with the brevity.
So what would an expansion of the H-2A and H-2B mean for our food system? For employers, it could be to their advantage, particularly if the Trump administration also embraces additional visa reforms. For instance, H-2A workers are currently 'temporary and seasonal,' but the agricultural industry has been urging the federal government to expand the program so that H-2A workers can work year-round. For workers, it could be a profound loss. Unless the program is significantly changed, American-born workers will continue to be undercut by a captive, lower-wage workforce — and foreign-born workers will continue to be mistreated.
Or, hear me out, we end the programs, stop the immigration, and hire only American workers by law.
P.S. Now check out our latest video 👇
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Not the Bee or any of its affiliates.
