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Tough talk about an immigration crackdown could be bad for our state's agriculture industry, Michael Gerstein of The Detroit News reports:
Stricter illegal immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump is worrying many Michigan farmers, who say it could hurt their businesses by worsening a migrant labor shortage already years in the making.
As the Trump administration has stepped up deportation of criminals among the country’s estimated 11 million illegal immigrants, even farmers who voted for the Republican businessman say they fear it could result in the short run in unpicked crops.
Southwest Michigan farmer Fred Leitz said he needs about 225 laborers this year to harvest his crops, but is concerned the seasonal workers – many of whom are Hispanic and travel from Florida and Texas to his farm – will be too frightened to make the long trek. Last year, Leitz said 144 laborers came from Mexico through a federal temporary agriculture worker visa program.
