Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will continue to conduct inspections of ag operations and other workplaces, including construction sites, but will focus on criminal activity, White House border czar Tom Homan announced. After days of confusion over whether President Donald Trump had carved out an exception for farms and hospitality operations including hotels and restaurants, Homan told reporters, “The message is clear enough that we're going to continue doing worksite enforcement operations even on farms and hotels.” The ag industry has voiced concern about worksite raids at farm operations and construction sites. Part of that concern derives from ICE arresting workers beyond those for whom they have warrants.


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Raids by federal immigration agents targeting field workers in California and a meat processing plant in Nebraska have some producers on edge, lawmakers said at a House Ag Committee hearing Wednesday. Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Calif., cited a statement by the Ventura County Farm Bureau that said Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents had engaged in illegal racial profiling in raids in his district. In addition to the action in California, ICE raided a meatpacking plant in Omaha. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., said the raid involved “stolen identities.”


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The Essential Workers for Economic Advancement Act is a bipartisan attempt to provide a legal immigration option to meet projected future workforce needs and help secure the U.S. border.

The U.S. immigration system is broken, placing national security in jeopardy, leaving thousands of current construction workers’ uncertain futures in the hands of the court system, and leaving no legal option for lesser skilled immigrants to meet workforce needs. All these factors have contributed to the industry’s workforce shortage.


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