The Express - "What Are Your Thoughts On Farmers Using Immigrant Workers?"

News Article

The Express - "What Are Your Thoughts On Farmers Using Immigrant Workers?"

BILL CAHIR (DEMOCRAT)

Individuals who come to our country in a quest for a better life are a part of our nation. We must promote legal immigration. I welcome those who would come to the United States legally. But I believe we must levy fines upon those who come here illegally.

Overall, we need a bipartisan plan to intensify border enforcement, improve the speed and legitimacy of the legal immigration system and penalize those who break our laws. But we must afford a workable path to legal residency for the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States, and our new system must help our farmers with their labor needs.

CHRIS EXARCHOS (REPUBLICAN)

Many of our agricultural businesses, especially dairy farms, rely on migrant workers. A work visa program, distinct from an immigrant visa or a temporary visa, may be the way to help our farms and businesses get the foreign workers they need while providing a mechanism for us to know who they are and that in fact they have work. Employers of work visa workers need to take responsibility and ensure that migrant workers are not a burden to the taxpayers.

They must also certify that they were not able to fill those jobs by making reasonable offers to the local workforce. Where an immigrant visa provides a path to citizenship, a worker visa would only offer the right to work here when a job is available, with a return home when the job ends. This solution would balance the needs of our employers with the requirements of the taxpaying citizens.

JOHN KRUPA (REPUBLICAN)

In talking to the farm community across the district, I have learned that immigrant workers are a resource that our farming community utilizes. They serve as a necessary function in our farm communities.

MARK MCCRACKEN (DEMOCRAT)

If the immigrant workers are in the country legally, I don't see any problem with this. However, if the workers are illegal, then, the farmer, or any business for that matter, who is knowingly using illegal immigrants should be prosecuted to the letter of the law.

LOU RADKOWSKI (REPUBLICAN)

America needs immigrant workers to work on farms. These people are essential to ensuring America's success in the future. Without these workers, American industry and our quality of life suffer. We need a labor force that is skilled, yet flexible, to tackle the many different tasks that are asked of them. One way to ensure retaining these workers would be to establish a guest worker program. People from other countries will be able to legally work in the United States for up to three years while they apply for a Green Card.

One documented problem with the Guest Worker program is the idea of birthright citizenship. Like some European countries, we need to modify the legislation to ensure one parent is a naturalized United States citizen. A guest worker program will only work if these ideas are also adopted.

Immigrants built America into what it is today. We have a strong history of immigration and giving hard-working people coming to America the tools to succeed. They can then lay the foundation for a better way of life for them and their families. Americans need to be compassionate and always be mindful of our own history and the special role immigrants played in building our nation.

KEITH RICHARDSON (REPUBLICAN)

Farmers should use legal immigrant labor, not illegal immigrant

labor.

I have proposed a three-step immigration reform plan. First, we must stop the hemorrhaging and secure our borders. Second, we must provide an incentive for those in our country illegally to return home. That incentive is this: If they register with our CIS and return home, they will be considered for legal entry into this country. If they fail to register and return home voluntarily, they will be deported and not allowed to return. This step must include reforming our system of legal immigration. Illegal immigrants will not return home if they face an 8-10 year wait for legal re-entry. And we must expand our guest-worker programs to allow encourage an above-the-board legal immigrant work-force.

When such reforms have been undertaken, we should take the third step of stiffening and actually enforcing the penalties against those who use illegal immigrant labor.

MATT SHANER (REPUBLICAN)

I believe that it is perfectly acceptable for farmers to employ a person who has come to the United States legally. However my concern is the more than 12 million undocumented illegal immigrants that are currently in the United States.

Illegal immigrants not only utilize public services that American citizens pay taxes for, but having undocumented individuals in the Unites States constitutes a national security threat.

If elected as your next Congressman it is my duty to fight to protect for the rights and well being of American citizens.

The first step is to stop talking about securing our borders and do it now. Then and only then, must we develop a comprehensive immigration reform bill that does not grant amnesty. Rewarding law breakers only encourages others to break the law.

All illegal immigrants convicted of crimes must be expelled and any person who applies for United States citizenship must learn to read, write, and speak English.

While it is true that America is a nation of immigrants, people who come here illegally marginalize the tremendous effort of those that have entered the U.S. through legitimate means. There are thousands of people from around the world who have been waiting years and spent thousands of dollars to legally immigrate to the United States.

It is true that immigrant workers provide a valuable service to farmers and other employers, but we have to make sure that these people are going through the proper channels.

JEFF STROEHMANN (REPUBLICAN)

Anyone working in the United States must be a legal U.S. citizen, period.

JOHN STROUP (REPUBLICAN)

The challenge of immigration is one that cuts across so many issues here in our country, but to me, it comes down to one of national security. With our nation engaged in a fight against terrorists across the globe, ensuring the security of our border, from building a strong border wall, providing necessary surveillance patrols and sending strong messages about our intent to secure our border to those across the globe is critical.

As for those who are here illegally, we need to begin enforcing our laws here at home, especially regarding those who employ illegal workers. The jobs that we constantly hear are not able to be done by citizens are being done by folks here in the 5th District, and I am proud to call many gardeners, sanitation workers, busboys and others my neighbors.

GLENN THOMPSON (REPUBLICAN)

Currently less than 2 percent of our Pennsylvania farms utilize the temporary worker program for legal immigrant workers due to the problems and issues of this program. Many of our farms need the labor of legal immigrant workers to assist at various times of the season. The unpredictability, intensity and difficult working conditions have left thousands of seasonal farm jobs largely filled by immigrant workers.

The Temporary Worker Program must be revised to allow Pennsylvania's farmers the ability to access legal immigrant workers in a flexible manner and without the current burdensome regulations that limits utilization and threatens significant fines and penalties.

Our farms provide us our national food supply, clothing and much more. We have an obligation to remove the barriers to what our farmers require to be successful.

RICK VILELLO (DEMOCRAT)

I don't have any problem with farmers using immigrant workers, I do have a big problem with farmers or anybody else hiring illegal immigrants. Illegal immigration and illegal employment takes good jobs away from Americans and gives an unfair advantage to employers who want to cheat the system.

DEREK WALKER (REPUBLICAN)

Farming has been and will continue to be the most important industry in Pennsylvania. While we have all been affected by the skyrocketing costs of fuel, farmers have been hit especially hard. To help them offset these costs, as well as the costs in general associated with farming, many farmers employ immigrant workers.

I believe that as long as these immigrant workers are in our country legally, that farmers should be allowed to continue to employ them.

However, if any of these immigrants have entered our country illegally, I believe that they should be immediately deported.

American taxpayers are forced to spend millions of dollars per year to provide public services to the more than 20 million illegal immigrants currently residing in the United States.

That's why, as you next Congressman, I will fight to finish the construction of the boarder fence, hire additional border security guards and prevent illegal immigrants from having the same rights and privileges that belong to United States Citizens.

Source