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March 27, 2006
Hon. Bill Frist, Majority Leader
United States Senate
Dear Senator Frist:
As the United States Senate begins debate on immigration reform, I would like to urge you to include the adopted policies of the National Grange on this important topic in any final immigration legislation this year. Founded in 1867, the National Grange is the nation’s oldest general farm and rural public interest organization. Today the National Grange represents Grange members affiliated with more than 2800 local Grange chapters located across rural America.
Realizing that our borders are not fully secure, the National Grange supports the efforts of the federal government to increase border security to stem the tide of illegal immigration, drug trafficking and the potential for foreign terrorist attack. The Grange urges Congress to reform immigration laws to provide for an orderly, well regulated flow of immigrants to meet the needs of our country and insure a stable workforce. The following positions on immigration reform, generated through our grassroots resolution process, were adopted by the Grange delegates from across the nation who attended the 139 th Annual Convention of the National Grange, held last November in Columbus Ohio:
-The National Grange supports the strict enforcement of the immigration laws of the United States and further supports regular review of these laws to be sure they are meeting the needs of the United States. The National Grange recommends our government put immigration policies to open debate with full disclosure to the public of the present and future impact of immigration on local communities across the nation.
-The National Grange supports increased efforts by the U.S. government to patrol our boarders to prevent the further illegal entry of aliens into our nation, including the assignment of military forces to assist civilian agencies in enforcing our boarder policies.
-The National Grange opposes general amnesty i.e. automatic or unconditional legal residency and working status for any individuals or their dependants who have entered or remained in the United States illegally under our current law, regardless of the nationality of those illegal aliens.
-We support granting federal authorities the power to detain suspected illegal immigrants and foreigners with expired visas for the duration of any investigation and processing of their claims as well as during any deportation proceedings, if the immigration status of an individual is determined to be illegal.
-The National Grange supports continuation of specific legal programs to bring temporary guest workers into the United States to meet the legitimate labor needs of the agricultural sector.
-The National Grange supports reforming current temporary foreign guest worker programs to allow for expedited processing of temporary foreign guest workers to be employed in the agricultural sector. We further support reforming regulations governing the wages that farmers pay temporary foreign guest workers employed in agriculture to more closely reflects the actual prevailing local wage rates for agriculture work.
-The National Grange opposes any regulation or legislation that would hold agricultural employers responsible for checking the authenticity of documentation provided by migrant and seasonal workers at the time of their employment. Further, we oppose any tax or fine on employers that unknowingly hire illegal foreign workers. Requiring private employers to be responsible for enforcement of federal immigration law is vigilantism and places at risk the civil rights of both foreign guest workers and U.S. citizens.
-The National Grange believes that the function of verification of the legal status of individuals is inherently a responsibility of government that should be carried out as a normal function of their duties and responsibilities by government employees or private or non-profit sector service providers that contract with the government to deliver government benefits or services to the public. We therefore believe that presentation of documentation of proof of citizenship and/or legal registered immigration status should be required to be verified by government employees or contractors at any time a foreign worker, or their dependants, apply to receive government benefits or services that otherwise would require some type of documentation or verification to be presented by the individual (for example, for residency, income, employment status, age, marital status or health status) in order to qualify for those services whether at the federal, state or local level. Mandatory and appropriate notification and coordination with law enforcement and immigration officials should be required by any government employee or contractor when there are any questions related to the authenticity of legal residency documentation presented to receive government benefits.
We would appreciate your support for the inclusion of these provisions as part of any final immigration reform legislation We would be further interested in learning your views on these and other immigration issues as well.
Sincerely,
Leroy Watson, Legislative Director
National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry
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