GEORGIA AND OTHER SOUTHERN FARMERS ARE JOINING GROWERS NATIONALLY TO URGE CONGRESS TO USE A PENDING ANTI-IMMIGRATION BILL TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THEM TO HIRE TEMPORARY FOREIGN WORKERS.
AT TWO HOUSE HEARINGS RECENTLY FARMERS SAID THAT A FOREIGN “GUEST WORKER” PROGRAM IS VITAL TO THE REGION’S AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, PARTICULARLY IF LEGISLATION APPROVED BY THE HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE SUCCESSFULLY RESTRICTS ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.
THAT BILL COULD DEVASTATE THE U.S. VEGETABLE INDUSTRY, SAID W.J. GRIMES, A HELENA, GA., FARMER WHO TESTIFIED FOR THE VIDALIA ONION BUSINESS COUNCIL.
THE BILL HAS NO GUEST WORKER PROVISION, AND BOTH OF ITS REPUBLICAN SPONSORS AND THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION OPPOSE THE IDEA. THE U.S. COMMISSION ON IMMIGRATION REFORM STRONGLY OPPOSES IT; ONE MEMBER, RICHARD ESTRADA, SAID SUCH PROGRAMS ARE AFFRONTS TO HUMAN DIGNITY AND FREEDOM.
FARM WORKER ADVOCATES ALSO ARE OPPOSED, SAYING THERE IS A SURPLUS OF U.S. AGRICULTURAL WORKERS, AND THAT GUEST LABORERS WOULD WORSEN CONDITIONS FOR AMERICANS. THEY CONTEND A GUEST PROGRAM WOULD MAKE IT EASIER FOR GROWERS TO CITE PHONY LABOR SHORTAGES AND OFFER WAGES AND WORKING CONDITIONS ATTRACTIVE ONLY TO CITIZENS OF POOR, DEVELOPING NATIONS.
IN THE VIDALIA ONION GROWING REGION IN SOUTHEAST GEORGIA, HOWEVER, FARMERS CONTEND THERE IS INSUFFICIENT LOCAL LABOR, FORCING THEM TO HIRE MIGRANTS AND THERE IS NO SURE WAY TO KNOW IF THEY ARE ILLEGAL ALIENS. FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AGENTS RAIDED VIDALIA FIELDS LAST SPRING AND ARRESTED MANY LABORERS WITH FALSIFIED WORK DOCUMENTS.
ROBERT DASHER OF GLENNVILLE, GA., TESTIFIED HE LOST $25,000 WHEN LEGAL WORKERS WERE SCARED AWAY FROM HIS FIELDS BY FEDERAL AGENTS.