Van Orden says he's working on proposal to help immigrants get work permits
U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden receives the endorsement of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau. (Henry Redman | Wisconsin Examiner)
U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden says he's working on a proposal that would alter two current work authorization programs to make it easier for businesses including farms and hotels to hire immigrant workers.
Van Orden, who sits on the House agriculture committee, told the news outlet NOTUS that he's working with Trump administration officials on a proposal to alter the H-2A and H-2B visa programs. Both programs currently provide temporary work visas for people working seasonally.
The H-2A program, which is targeted at seasonal farm labor, has frustrated Wisconsin dairy farmers because year-round workers, including in dairy, are not eligible for the program. Immigrant workers comprise an estimated 70% of the labor force on Wisconsin dairy farms.
'Rocks are heavy. Trees are made of wood. Gravity is real. There's 20 million illegal aliens here that have been floating agriculture, hospitality and construction for decades, and we need their labor,' Van Orden told NOTUS.
Van Orden said the proposal is in line with the Trump administration's increased immigration enforcement efforts because it doesn't offer a pathway to citizenship or encourage an increase in unauthorized crossings of the border while making it easier for people to come to the U.S. to work.
'That's why people come here illegally, because it's so hard to come here legally,' Van Orden said. 'We're all working towards the goal of making sure that our economy can maintain its relevancy.'
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