December 8, 2017
America's Farmers Don't Depend on Illegal Immigration
Liberals frame the debate over illegal immigration as a dilemma: either America grants amnesty to aliens or the economy will collapse. Some even imply that Americans will starve to death because of higher food prices – who will pick America's fruits and veggies if not illegals? Bruce Goldstein, president of a nonprofit called Farmworker Justice, boldly claims that if we were to deport all illegal aliens, "our agricultural system would collapse." Collapse.
This is nonsense. American agriculture will not collapse without illegal labor. Why? Because there are plenty of technological solutions and American workers available to pick up the slack. It is time to put this myth to bed.
Agriculture is not a labor-intensive industry, and it has not been for decades. Less than 2 percent of Americans work in agriculture, according to the World Bank. This figure has declined since 1960, when roughly 6 percent of Americans worked on farms. If trends continue, we can expect the number to continue to fall. This is because of the wonders of mechanization: machines now do everything from threshing wheat to milking cows. The bottom line: Most farmers do not "benefit" from cheap illegal labor, since their labor costs are minimal to begin with.
The "exceptions" to this rule are fruit and nut farms, located primarily in California. Crops like raspberries and almonds are notoriously difficult for machines to pick. There are many reasons for this, including the fact that berries require a "soft touch" – they ripen at different times, and bushes are tough for machinery to navigate. These labor-intensive farms are the main agricultural culprits when it comes to hiring illegal workers. After all, they have the most to gain.
But realistically, even labor-intensive agriculture does not depend upon illegal labor. Orchards could get by without illegal workers since only four percent of American agricultural workers are illegal aliens, according to a report in National Review. Likewise, only one in six workers in California's nut orchards is an illegal alien. Removing illegals from the system would be inconvenient for them, but it would not drive them out of business – the remaining employees would simply have to work a few hours of overtime per day.
Without Aliens, Who Will Pick the Crops?
There are two ways for the agriculture industry to replace illegal workers: they can either hire Americans or invest in better technology.
At this moment, there are roughly 23 million unemployed Americans, some of whom have experience in agriculture. On top of this, America has a massive problem with seasonal unemployment for its college students. Either way, there are more than enough Americans to fill the potential labor shortage. The only reason Americans are not working in agriculture is because they are out-competed by cheap illegal workers. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statisticsreveals that millions of Americans – of all races – currently work as janitors, laborers, and agricultural workers. If farmers were required to pay market wages, they would not have a problem finding employees.
The counterpoint: If farmers hire Americans, the price of food will go up! Yes – but not by much. Higher labor costs can result in higher prices only to the degree that labor impacts the product's cost. For example, higher wages for train conductors does not appreciably impact rail shipping costs because there are so few conductors per unit of freight – rail is capital-intensive. Contrast this with some retail outlets that spend 70 percent of their revenue on labor costs.
Agriculture – even fruit and nut orchards – is relatively capital-intensive – i.e., the labor costs aren't all that significant per unit of produce. Proof is in the numbers. A 2011 report published by the Federation for American Immigration Reform found that the agriculture industry was one of America's most profitable sectors and could easily afford to pay its workers 20-30 percent more without significantly impacting profits.
Furthermore, research conducted by Philip Martin, a leading expert on farm labor and migration issues, found that labor costs are negligible compared to the retail cost of produce. In 2006, Martin found that only 5-6 cents of every dollar spent on produce is due to labor costs. Therefore, if illegal aliens were removed from the labor force entirely, and labor costs rose by up to 40 percent to attract American workers, labor would still only account for 7-9 cents. Over the course of a year, this works out to just $9.00 extra for the average household. This is nothing, especially when you remember that illegal immigration costs America between $115 billion and $140 billion annually.
The second option, improving technology and embracing mechanization, is the strategy employed by America's wheat, corn, and dairy industries. Ever had trouble affording flour or milk? Probably not. Thank mechanization for this fact, not illegal aliens.
Although adopting new technology can be expensive, it brings costs down in the long run. And as it turns out, there is a good argument to be made that the American fruit and nut industry's addiction to cheap illegal labor has stifled technological development and kept prices artificially high. Farmers should and could mechanize – today. The technology exists. If only America's fruit farms would embrace it. For example, an American company called "Abundant Robotics" has developed a fruit-picking robot that can harvest apples and peaches. Other companies have developed machines that are able to pick much smaller, more delicate fruit, like grapes and strawberries.
America's farmers do not rely on illegal alien labor. This is a myth cooked up by the pro-illegal immigration lobby to further its agenda. Nothing more. Meanwhile, America pays the price.
Illegal
Immigration Costs U.S. Taxpayers a Stunning $134.9 Billion a Year
Adios, California
A fifth-generation Californian laments his state’s ongoing economic collapse.
By Steve Baldwin
American Spectator, October 19, 2017
What’s clear is that the producers are leaving the state and the takers are coming in. Many of the takers are illegal aliens, now estimated to number over 2.6 million. The Federation for American Immigration Reform estimates that California spends $22 billion on government services for illegal aliens, including welfare, education, Medicaid, and criminal justice system costs. Liberals claim they more than make that up with taxes paid, but that’s simply not true. It’s not even close. FAIR estimates illegal aliens in California contribute only $1.21 billion in tax revenue, which means they cost California $20.6 billion, or at least $1,800 per household.
Nonetheless, open border advocates, such as Facebook Chairman Mark Zuckerberg, claim illegal aliens are a net benefit to California with little evidence to support such an assertion. As the Center for Immigration Studies has documented, the vast majority of illegals are poor, uneducated, and with few skills. How does accepting millions of illegal aliens and then granting them access to dozens of welfare programs benefit California’s economy? If illegal aliens were contributing to the economy in any meaningful way, California, with its 2.6 million illegal aliens, would be booming.
Furthermore, the complexion of illegal aliens has changed with far more on welfare and committing crimes than those who entered the country in the 1980s. Heather Mac Donald of the Manhattan Institute has testified before a Congressional committee that in 2004, 95% of all outstanding warrants for murder in Los Angeles were for illegal aliens; in 2000, 23% of all Los Angeles County jail inmates were illegal aliens and that in 1995, 60% of Los Angeles’s largest street gang, the 18th Street gang, were illegal aliens. Granted, those statistics are old, but if you talk to any California law enforcement officer, they will tell you it’s much worse today. The problem is that the Brown administration will not release any statewide data on illegal alien crimes. That would be insensitive. And now that California has declared itself a “sanctuary state,” there is little doubt this sends a message south of the border that will further escalate illegal immigration into the state.
A fifth-generation Californian laments his state’s ongoing economic collapse.
By Steve Baldwin
American Spectator, October 19, 2017
What’s clear is that the producers are leaving the state and the takers are coming in. Many of the takers are illegal aliens, now estimated to number over 2.6 million. The Federation for American Immigration Reform estimates that California spends $22 billion on government services for illegal aliens, including welfare, education, Medicaid, and criminal justice system costs. Liberals claim they more than make that up with taxes paid, but that’s simply not true. It’s not even close. FAIR estimates illegal aliens in California contribute only $1.21 billion in tax revenue, which means they cost California $20.6 billion, or at least $1,800 per household.
Nonetheless, open border advocates, such as Facebook Chairman Mark Zuckerberg, claim illegal aliens are a net benefit to California with little evidence to support such an assertion. As the Center for Immigration Studies has documented, the vast majority of illegals are poor, uneducated, and with few skills. How does accepting millions of illegal aliens and then granting them access to dozens of welfare programs benefit California’s economy? If illegal aliens were contributing to the economy in any meaningful way, California, with its 2.6 million illegal aliens, would be booming.
Furthermore, the complexion of illegal aliens has changed with far more on welfare and committing crimes than those who entered the country in the 1980s. Heather Mac Donald of the Manhattan Institute has testified before a Congressional committee that in 2004, 95% of all outstanding warrants for murder in Los Angeles were for illegal aliens; in 2000, 23% of all Los Angeles County jail inmates were illegal aliens and that in 1995, 60% of Los Angeles’s largest street gang, the 18th Street gang, were illegal aliens. Granted, those statistics are old, but if you talk to any California law enforcement officer, they will tell you it’s much worse today. The problem is that the Brown administration will not release any statewide data on illegal alien crimes. That would be insensitive. And now that California has declared itself a “sanctuary state,” there is little doubt this sends a message south of the border that will further escalate illegal immigration into the state.
"If the racist "Sensenbrenner
Legislation" passes the US Senate, there is no doubt that a massive civil
disobedience movement will emerge. Eventually labor union power can merge with
the immigrant civil rights and "Immigrant
Sanctuary" movements to enable us to either form a new political
party or to do heavy duty reforming of the existing Democratic Party. The next
and final steps would follow and that is to elect our own governors of all the
states within Aztlan."
Indeed, California goes out of its way to attract illegal aliens. The state has even created government programs that cater exclusively to illegal aliens. For example, the State Department of Motor Vehicles has offices that only process driver licenses for illegal aliens. With over a million illegal aliens now driving in California, the state felt compelled to help them avoid the long lines the rest of us must endure at the DMV. And just recently, the state-funded University of California system announced it will spend $27 million on financial aid for illegal aliens. They’ve even taken out radio spots on stations all along the border, just to make sure other potential illegal border crossers hear about this program. I can’t afford college education for all my four sons, but my taxes will pay for illegals to get a college education.
Indeed, California goes out of its way to attract illegal aliens. The state has even created government programs that cater exclusively to illegal aliens. For example, the State Department of Motor Vehicles has offices that only process driver licenses for illegal aliens. With over a million illegal aliens now driving in California, the state felt compelled to help them avoid the long lines the rest of us must endure at the DMV. And just recently, the state-funded University of California system announced it will spend $27 million on financial aid for illegal aliens. They’ve even taken out radio spots on stations all along the border, just to make sure other potential illegal border crossers hear about this program. I can’t afford college education for all my four sons, but my taxes will pay for illegals to get a college education.
JUDICIAL WATCH
The true cost of all that “cheap” Mexican labor is staggering!
Illegal
Immigration Costs U.S. Taxpayers a Stunning $134.9 Billion a Year
PEW
MAP OF MUSLIM OCCUPATION OF EUROPE
MAP OF MEXICAN OCCUPATION of U.S.
THE ENDLESSLY
HISPANDERING DEMOCRAT PARTY funded by Wall Street’s biggest criminals says it
is “ALL NEW”…. Meaning open borders to keep wages depressed and no regulation
of plundering banks!
It’s Obama’s wet
dream!
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