The twists, turns, and twirls that some people must take to justify voting against their own interests could be an Olympic sport. Earlier in July the chief executive of the Idaho Dairymen’s Association pointed out, quite directly, that there is an absolute need for unauthorized workers in Idaho. Especially in the dairy industry that requires workers year-round instead of just for a short season.
The fact is that without them, Idaho’s dairy industry would fail. There would be a void of approximately 30,000 labor jobs in the Idaho agriculture industry. So, I guess if you think milk is expensive now you don’t want to think about what would happen if the sector were to collapse.
Whether or not you believe his argument that agricultural wages are competitive I would absolutely agree when he says that these are not easy jobs. It is worth noting that Idaho is the third largest dairy producer in the country, so we are speaking about a large economic impact for Idaho.
A recent report from the McClure Center conducted at the request of the Idaho Dairymen’s Association, The Idaho Farm Bureau Federation, and the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry points out the dependence on unauthorized workers as well as the positive economic impact those workers have on Idaho. The economic impact represents millions of dollars spent in the Idaho economy. Not to mention the billions that Idaho agriculture brings to this state annually.
Here’s where the twists, turns, and twirls come in. Many of the members of the above-mentioned organizations are likely going to vote for representation that will make it more difficult for farmers to meet these labor demands. They may even choose to vote for someone who would send enforcers to agricultural centers to round up unauthorized workers in “mass deportations.”
I am certainly not advocating a large-scale amnesty as President Reagan did. I am advocating for immigration reform that accepts and understands the really inconvenient truth that we depend on agricultural labor here in this state and in this country, especially immigrant labor. Immigration reform that is routinely blocked by the Republican Party because the reality does not fit their narrative.
Immigrants come to this country sacrificing connections to their families and their home, literally risking their lives to come for back-breaking work in difficult conditions for a “competitive” wage. FBI crime statistics indicate immigrants (authorized and unauthorized) commit crimes at lower rates than people born here, and many of them pay into a Social Security and benefits system they will never be able to use. We should take some time to recognize the really inconvenient truth that these people have come here not only with the hope of providing a better life for their families, but also the willingness to build our economy and the generosity to subsidize our dinner tables for generations.
David Roth is a member of the Bonneville County Democratic Central Committee and the incoming Idaho Democratic Party National Committeeman