Speech #970225395

Some may ask: Why should we consider a special program to meet the needs of western farmers. especially in these times of high unemployment? The answer is simple. Western agriculture has legitimately grown to rely on the services of illegal aliens. in fact I would estimate that in most laborintensive crops the work force is 50 to 80 percent illegal alien. Farmers have been unable to attract and retain domestic workers to do field work. The work is hard and the pay relatively low. especially when compared to the income potential that one can realize through welfare. food stamps. and so forth. Further. the demand for workers is highly variable and seasonal in nature. the job tenure is brief. and the potential for advancement is minimal. The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1982 is based on the assumption that the legalization provision and the H2 temporary worker program will satisfy those employers who currently rely on illegal aliens to make up their work force. For the most part. legalization will be of little benefit to the illegals currently in agriculture. the number of whom is less than 8 percent of the total illegal alien population in the country. Most illegal aliens in the service industries and in manufacturing live in urban residential areas. Illegal aliens in agriculture are nomadic. They come into this country for a few months when work is plentiful and return home in the fall to be with their families. They normally have no desire to stay in the United States. and they could not meet the continuous residency requirement if they wanted to.