Half or more of US farm workers are undocumented. So what happens

[pnwmom]

to farms and food prices when DT kicks most of them out?

http://hungerreport.org/featured/immigrants-us-food-system/

By Andrew Wainer, Bread for the World Institute

More than 70 percent of all hired U.S. farm workers are foreign-born, mostly from Mexico, and about half are undocumented.1 Many arrive in the United States to escape poverty and hunger in their homelands. They can earn more money in the United States, but they still live on poverty-level wages and suffer from food insecurity.

http://michiganradio.org/post/what-happens-when-more-half-migrant-workers-are-undocumented

Migrant work is one of the only jobs available to undocumented workers in the U.S.

An estimated 50 to 70 percent of farm workers in the U.S. are undocumented, and this causes problems not only for the workers, but for employers too.

https://www.pri.org/stories/2013-01-28/should-immigration-reform-be-comprehensive

[In_The_Wind]

1. Crops will rot in the fields. America will suffer greatly without the migrant workers.

[n2doc]

7. Georgia tried the same thing. Crops did rot in the fields

They rescinded the law quickly. Trump will put on a show, then when farms start shutting down, he will quietly back off. But the fear will be there so that farmers can abuse the workers if they so desire.

[Motown_Johnny]

2. Work visa reform seems the most likely option

if your hypothetical were to come true.


The idea that we should just allow laws to be broken out of convenience is something I reject out of hand.


You can't really believe the status quo is acceptable. These workers are being exploited. Cracking down on the employers is something I support.
These workers deserve the same legal protections as anyone else.

[murielm99]

5. My daughter lives in Canada.

She works with Spanish speaking people seeking citizenship.

Temporary workers are given work permits. They are treated more fairly than we treat our workers. We could learn from their example.

[safeinOhio]

3. Unintended Consequences

include trump election.

[Liberty Belle]

4. Farmers and others should mail rotten veggies and fruits to Trump as protest.

And to Congressional members' district offices (wouldn't make it past security screenings in DC).

Tell them to stop this as you don't want to pay higher prices for your food.

[nikibatts]

8. Why? They voted for him.

They receive subsidies from the government that they say they hate. Let the chips fall.

[Sherman A1]

6. Nothing good will happen.

One need also ask if a 20% import tariff is enacted as has been suggested. How will that affect food prices at the grocery store. A great deal of produce is imported from Mexico throughout the year, but particularly in the Winter months. What will we see on just the single item of tomatoes which is involved in so very many products from Pasta Sauce to Ketchup?

I like finding strawberries, blueberries and cantaloupe available in the Winter months at reasonable prices, but I am sure they are not grown in the US at this time of year.

[raul_andres]

9. I was raised in central California and...

I knew many of these farmworkers when I was growing up. Just hardworking people trying to make an honest living and provide a better life for their families.