An umbrella group of agricultural employers, worried about its workforce, warned lawmakers there would be “a devastating impact” if an identity-check system is mandated “in the absence of a legislative solution for agriculture’s labor needs.” By some estimates, half or more of agricultural workers are undocumented. Speaking for the Agriculture Workforce Coalition, Chuck Conner said at a House Judiciary subcommittee hearing that the coalition supports a reform package with “both an adjustment for current experienced, unauthorized agricultural workers and a new market-based visa program that provides both portability and contractual opportunities to provide access to a legal workforce into the future.”
The subcommittee hearing was called to consider a bill to require employers to use the E-Verify system to check the identity of workers. A similar bill was approved by the Judiciary Committee last year. Judiciary chairman Bob Goodlatte said E-Verify would prevent undocumented workers from getting jobs and discourage illegal immigration. “The web-based program is a reliable and quick way for employers to electronically check the work eligibility of newly hired employees,” said Goodlatte.