Home - Issues - Immigration Reform

Click here for a pdf file of John's position on this issue that you may view, print or download.

Immigration Reform

Immigration reform is vital issue for Northern California, and solutions are rife with unintended consequences. Responding to the shortage of help at harvest time and concerns about immigration crackdowns, farmers are replacing sensitive crops such as peaches that need to be hand picked with crops that can be shaken from trees by machines. Will the only peaches Americans eat come from other countries as a result of our immigration problems?

Farmers are suffering from labor shortages as numbers of migrant workers drop and willing local workers cannot be found to replace them.

Families are being torn apart, and Hispanic communities are being unfairly targeted.

Undocumented workers are being exploited without recourse by poor working conditions and unfairly low wages.

Large pools of undocumented workers willing to work for low wages drag down wages for American workers.

Angry citizens and lawmakers looking for quick fixes rush to support higher border fences and tougher crackdowns on illegals themselves, a group as much victim in this crisis as perpetrator.

A solution to this enormous problem must reflect a consensus among groups not used to working together. A true lasting solution, not a poorly thought out "bandaid" such as immigration reforms of the past, must come from a working group representing all concerns. A true representative of the people, someone who wants to do more than quiet angry constituents must use his or her communication skills to bring people to the table ready to work together. I believe I am that person for Northern California.

1. With representatives for farmers and other employers using undocumented workers to fill unmet hiring needs, along with unions, homeland security people, immigration officials, immigrant community leaders, community education and health care leaders a solution must be reached as to how to integrate the 11 million undocumented workers into our society. They are here. They contribute greatly to the fabric of our society. A draconian process for rooting them all out and sending them back to their country of origin would rip the fabric of our communities, our society, our very Constitution to pieces. A broad answer must deal with consequences to the people entering illegally. It must reflect the consequences to American farmers and other employers of losing these workers. It must include ways to bring wages and benefits for these workers into alignment with American standards so that the workers themselves are protected from exploitation, and good paying American jobs don’t suffer from an underground economy created by these workers. It must reflect the need for services to worker’s families through our education and healthcare systems. It will include fines, deportation of any criminal elements, a path to citizenship and innovative solutions the synergy of this group will be able to come up with.

It will be the responsibility of members of the House and Senate to educate their constituents on the result of this process, and become consensus builders themselves to pass it into law and stand behind it with the needed funding.

2. Secondly, the border must be secured. More security is certainly needed, but the root cause of the problem must be addressed. Canadians along our northern border are not risking their lives to enter our country illegally. The robust economy of Canada serves its people well.

Instead of spending billions on a fence that will only lead to ever longer ladders, a foreign policy surge with Mexico must be undertaken by our state department. The underground economy of Mexico, depending upon the tens of millions of dollars sent back to families by illegal workers in the US must be replaced by an Mexican economic policy that provides living wage jobs for Mexicans in their own country.