E-Verify Legislation Stalls

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The Legal Workforce Act mandating that employers use the federal E-Verify system to verify worker eligibility is currently on hold.

This week, Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, postponed committee action on the controversial bill that would have significant repercussions throughout agriculture.

In a letter to Chairman Smith, United Fresh and other agriculture organizations from across the country have made it clear that any legislation passed must include a practical guestworker program.

“If the committee imposes a new mandate on agricultural employers without providing them access to a legal supply of labor, the result will be devastating for U.S. agricultural producers,” the groups wrote in the letter. “It is critically important to all of us that H.R. 2164 include an effective agricultural worker program.”

In addition, United Fresh and other associations have been conducting a series of targeted fly-ins over the last two months focusing on members of the Judiciary Committee and the House leadership team.

“These actions have been helpful in ensuring that Congress realizes the impact this legislation would have on the agriculture workforce,” said United Senior Vice President of Public Policy, Robert Guenther. “We support providing businesses with the tools necessary to ensure a stable and legal workforce, but a program that does not consider or couple these tools with a efficient worker program could be devastating long term to the agriculture stakeholders across the country.”

For a full transcript of the letter, click here.

Source: United Fresh