How Trump's Immigration Policy Harms American Farmers and Dairy Industry

The Farmer's Reliance on Migrant Labor

• 👨‍🌾 Hans Breitenmoser, a Wisconsin dairy farmer, explains that his farm has relied on foreign-born employees for 30 years due to a lack of domestic workers.
• 💡 He emphasizes that there are simply not enough people in the U.S. willing to do the demanding work required on farms.
• 🐄 The dairy industry, in particular, cannot function without foreign labor, as animals require daily care, feeding, and milking.

Challenges Posed by Immigration Crackdowns

• ⚠️ Breitenmoser highlights the difficulty and impracticality for farmers to verify the legal status of their employees, stating it's not their role.
• 🏠 The current public policy demonizes the very people the economy relies on, creating a disconnect that doesn't make sense.
• ✈️ ICE raids and the fear of deportation disrupt the workforce, impacting the daily operations and the well-being of the animals.

Proposed Solutions for Immigration Policy

• 📜 Breitenmoser suggests that the administration and Congress should create an easier path to permanent resident status for workers.
• 🌍 This would provide legal status, allowing workers to contribute without fear and to travel back and forth to their home countries.
• 🌾 The dairy industry, and agriculture at large, cannot operate without foreign workers to meet the labor demands.