The White House is clearing the air over farmworker deportations.
White House Border Czar Tom Homan says ICE will continue entering U.S. farms, but says they will only focus on criminal activity. It comes after a Washington Post report earlier this week citing unnamed sources and claiming the Administration was reversing course on marking farmworkers safe.
Speaking outside the White House yesterday, Homan told reporters it is illegal to knowingly hire an illegal alien. He is calling on Congress to address farmworker labor rules.
Farmers in the Pacific Northwest are sounding off over labor rates. They warn it is challenging, especially with overtime rules.
“I think the other thing that we need to seriously look at and address is our overtime law. We have the single-most restrictive overtime law in the country for overtime pay in agriculture. Washington state farmworkers command some of the highest wages in the country. And when you ask their employer to pay time-and-a-half after 40 hours a week, they can’t afford it,” said Washington Policy Center Ag Director Pam Lewison.
Lewison is asking state leaders in Washington to get on board with neighboring states, who they say are taking steps to keep farmers profitable.
