Leaders Call for Continued Action by Trump Administration and Congress to Protect American Farmers, Restaurant Owners, Hospitality Workers
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC), House Freedom Caucus Chairman U.S. Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD-01), and prominent leaders from the agriculture and hospitality industries convened to discuss the need for decisive action in safeguarding the nation’s food supply chain, supporting business operations, and fostering economic growth.
Rep. Harris emphasized the need to expand access to work visa programs for foreign born workers: “It’s a very good sign the administration recognizes that running in parallel with the deportation of violent criminals, there has to be an effort to figure out how to make sure that we have the workforce we need. Clearly, workforce issues are significant with unemployment at four percent. We need to revise and expand visa categories like H-2A and H-2B, or create a new visa program to meet economic demands.”
During the call, speakers highlighted the urgent need for real solutions to labor shortages, underscoring the importance of work visas to ensure a sustainable workforce for the future.
Rebecca Shi, CEO, American Business Immigration Coalition:
“This is a workforce issue. These workers are the backbone of many industries: 22 percent of restaurant staff, 51 percent of dairy and cattle workers, and 72 percent of horse racing are foreign born workers. Last week’s guidance from the President to pause ICE enforcement on farms, restaurants, and hotels was a strong step in the right direction. Now we need Congress and the administration to go further with real solutions: work visas for essential workers paying taxes, stabilizing the economy and contributing to their communities.”
Emily Williams Knight Ed.D, CEO of the Texas Restaurant Association:
“We believe we can have both secure borders but also a secure economy. We have seen a direct impact to our labor force with current enforcement action. Restaurants are not a nice to have, they are part of a critical feeding infrastructure. There is a massive economic impact when people are not coming to work, they’re not spending in their communities and restaurants aren’t generating the revenue that’s required for investment back to the community. This is a very serious issue.”
Matt Teagarden, CEO of Kansas Livestock Association:
“These raids disrupt our food supply and contribute to higher food prices. In addition to the workers who have been detained, they also instill fear in these communities, even for legal workers. We’re encouraged by the President’s recognition of the need for a balanced approach to this issue.”
Dale Romans, President of the Kentucky Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association:
“We appreciate that the administration understands the importance of the labor force but we need action. Seventy-two percent of the thoroughbred industry are immigrants and we cannot operate without them. We need workers to feed and groom these horses every day. We need people to do these jobs.”
Beverly Idsinga, Executive Director, Dairy Producers of New Mexico:
“When we lose a dairy [farm], it’s millions of dollars for the community that’s lost because you’re not only losing the dairy itself and what it produces, you’re losing that set of employees and how much they bring back to the community. You’re losing out on all of those other jobs that go along with it when you speak of construction, mechanics, hoof trimmers and truck drivers and everything down the road.”
View the virtual briefing HERE.