Immigration Issues

NMPF Submits Comments to the Departments of Labor and Homeland Security - April 8, 2008

As an initiative to address proposed rule changes to the H-2A agricultural worker visa category, NMPF sent final comments to the Departments of Labor and Homeland Security to urge them to allow dairy producers the ability to participate in the H-2A visa program. The dairy industry has been facing mounting pressure in recent years to find legal workers for its farms, and currently the "temporary or seasonal in nature" employment condition in the H-2A program excludes dairy, which requires year-long employment. Click here for a full version of the comments.

 

Reform Currently on Hold in Congress

The Senate voted twice in the past month against comprehensive immigration reform. Leading supporters of reform to believe that the prospects for a broad-based reform of immigration laws are fading.

Nevertheless, NMPF is asking its members to thank those 46 Senators who did vote in favor of cloture (and by extension, in favor of the legislation). It is also worth contacting the 53 Senators who voted against the measure, since some of them are from dairy states where the labor shortages are not going to get better.

Despite the setback for a comprehensive reform package, key supports of the AgJobs legislation have stated that they will consider trying to move that specific piece of legislation in the coming year.

NMPF's principles for immigration reform remain the following:

1. Strengthen the borders;

2. Realistically address the 12 million undocumented workers in the country; and

3. Provide future temporary worker programs to fill jobs that Americans cannot or will not perform.

 

For more information on these principles, visit this page.

 

Other Links

Background and Talking Points on Immigration Reform

Immigration Update - Judge Issues Preliminary Injunction In No-Match Litigation

Summary of the Provisions of the "Agricultural Job Opportunity, Benefits, and Security Act of 2007" (AgJOBS)