Thread: VT-Sanders backs guest worker program for farms

Sanders backs guest worker program for farms
By Sam Hemingway
Sunday, November 22, 2009

Comments(2)


SOUTH BURLINGTON -- Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said Saturday he is would support legislation allowing agricultural operations like Vermont dairy farms to legally import foreign workers to do jobs that go unfilled locally.


"I am not a great fan of guest worker programs," Sanders said. "I think very often in the recreation industry, the technology industry, the guest worker program has been used to bring foreign workers into this country to lower the wages that are paid to American workers."

But, said Sanders, the predicament of the dairy industry in Vermont and elsewhere is so "desperate" that a guest worker program is needed to provide the farms with workers willing and able to do the manual labor jobs that farmers are unable to fill with local workers.

Sanders' remarks, during a morning news conference at Burlington International Airport, came after the state's dairy industry was shaken last week by news that federal agents armed with subpoenas visited five farms in northern Vermont seeking records proving their workers were in the country legally.

Migrant farm advocates have estimated in the past that 2,000 foreign workers, mostly Mexicans, are employed on dairy farms in Vermont doing daily farm chores.

The five farms were targeted as part of a national crackdown last week by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on businesses suspected of using employing illegal aliens.

Sanders said he was surprised by the use of subpoenas. He also said he has become convinced over time that the farmers' need for foreign workers is real.

"There are areas, especially in the agriculture area, where farmers cannot find local labor," Sanders said. "I did not always believe that but when you talk to dairy farmers and they say 'Look, we have scoured our community, we want young people to do the work, but we can't find them.' I believe that's true, and if that's true, we need immigrant labor programs."

Sanders said a law supporting a guest worker program benefiting farmers would need to include language to protect the workers' civil rights and assure that they were paid decently. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., has been a longtime advocate of guest worker programs in the agricultural sector.

Legislation that would have legalized the use of foreign workers in the agriculture industry was included in a comprehensive immigration reform measure which died in the Senate in 2007.

Contact Sam Hemingway at shemingway@bfp.burlingtonfreepress.com.


http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/arti ... -for-farms

Sanders said a law supporting a guest worker program benefiting farmers would need to include language to protect the workers' civil rights and assure that they were paid decently. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., has been a longtime advocate of guest worker programs in the agricultural sector.

But they don't stay on the farms once they get another American's job. Then the farmer recruits more illegal into the country. Don't feel sorry for the farmers. They have caused or are part of the problem or path to permitting the illegal attraction to Americans' jobs.

Migrant farm advocates have estimated in the past that 2,000 foreign workers, mostly Mexicans, are employed on dairy farms in Vermont doing daily farm chores.

Who is making sure these immigrants stay on the diary farm? Who is making sure they leave when the diary job is done? Are whole immigrant families being planted into America by these diary farmers of so said demand for young legal immigrant workers?

TRAITORS and TREASON BEING COMMITTED!

Sanders' remarks, during a morning news conference at Burlington International Airport, came after the state's dairy industry was shaken last week by news that federal agents armed with subpoenas visited five farms in northern Vermont seeking records proving their workers were in the country legally.

So how many copies of legal records are these dairy farm owners selling to other illegal / undocumented immigrants?

The costs of every "social need" of these cheap laborers should be assumed by the employers. If the dairy farmer couldn't pass on the costs to the taxpayers he would soon realize it to be cheaper to pay a better wage to attract legal Americans to the jobs. As long as "we the taxpayers" subsidize these migrant workers I will consider the process UNJUST!

Organic Milk is $5.70 so illegals are helping my diary cost.

SOUTH BURLINGTON -- Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said Saturday he is would support legislation allowing agricultural operations like Vermont dairy farms to legally import foreign workers to do jobs that go unfilled locally.

It's not like the American people are looking for jobs or anything. sarcasm.