Here & Now

Look Ahead: Immigration Reduction Backer On More Deportation

Frederica Freyberg:

Next, a “Look Ahead” to what beefed up immigration enforcement could mean across the country and here in Wisconsin. According to memos released this week from the Department of Homeland Security, immigrants classified as priorities for removal are expanded to include those charged with minor crimes and could include the act of entering the country illegally. The memos call for a force multiplier of state and local police to assist immigration enforcement and of course, the wall. We have Wisconsin reaction to this policy starting with the executive director of the Midwest of Coalition to Reduce Immigration. Dave Gorak who joins us from Baraboo. And thanks a lot of being here.

Dave Gorak:

Thank you.

Frederica Freyberg:

As you know according to most counts about 11 million undocumented immigrants live in the U.S., about 85,000 in Wisconsin. What’s your reaction to the executive orders on immigration enforcement?

Dave Gorak:

What the Trump Administration is doing is simply implementing the recommendations of President Clinton's Immigration Reform Commission that was chaired by the late Barbara Jordan. She said that any immigration policy that we have has to serve the national interests. What we’ve had thus far hasn’t been doing that. But more importantly, she said any immigration policy, if it’s to be credible, it has to involve deporting people. Now of course, our priorities are the criminal element, but she said, in the end, if it’s going to mean anything, it’s going to send a proper message to the rest of the world, we have to deport people who have entered this country illegally or come here legally on visas and then deliberately overstayed those visas.

Frederica Freyberg:

Would you like to see the deportation of all 11 million undocumented immigrants?

Dave Gorak:

Our concern is — first of all, immigration is about jobs. Right now, what we’ve got are eight million illegal aliens in our workforce, most in them in construction, manufacturing, services and transportation. At the same time the federal government is reporting that we have 15 million Americans who cannot find full-time work. We want to know why this is going on.

Frederica Freyberg:

Let me ask you about the immigrant labor force. As you know, Wisconsin dairy farms rely heavily on immigrant labor. And we’re told that that’s because they have a very difficult time getting local labor. So what about the concerns there on the part of the dairy industry that the deportation of this labor potentially could really hurt Wisconsin?

Dave Gorak:

The dairy industry has a legitimate complaint because there are no visas available that address their labor needs. The H2A visa allows growers to bring in an unlimited number of temporary workers but the dairy farmers need a year-round labor force. We think there are three options open to the dairy farmers. Number one, they can get together and deal with their members of Congress and say look, we need a visa that addresses our labor needs or they can mechanize. A number of dairy farmers have done this around the country. And finally they can offer better wages. Now agriculture in general pays pretty bad wages and it’s hard work and it’s dirty work. But if you need to bring in foreign workers, then you should do it legally.

Frederica Freyberg:

So you would be in favor of some kind of policy change that would allow for the kinds of visas that would help the dairy industry?

Dave Gorak:

Yes, absolutely. Now, keep in mind, this country has over 30 guest worker programs. So I guess if we have to create another one, 31, 32. But the point is, this is what they have to do and then they never have to worry about labor shortages.

Frederica Freyberg:

Meanwhile, though, you would also like to see a shrinking of the number of documented immigrants that are allowed into this country, briefly, just describe why that is.

Dave Gorak:

During the first 200 years of this country’s history, we averaged about 250,000 legal immigrants every year. But since 1990, that number has risen to more than 1.2 million. And again, what this does is create competition for jobs among the most vulnerable people in our society. So yes, the Jordan Commission recommended cutting immigration in half, to 500,000 and we feel comfortable with that.

Frederica Freyberg:

All right.

Dave Gorak:

We don’t need– I'm sorry.

Frederica Freyberg:

Go ahead very briefly.

Dave Gorak:

We don’t need more immigrants or refugees. What we need are more good-paying jobs for Americans.

Frederica Freyberg:

We leave it there. Dave Gorak, thanks for joining us.

Dave Gorak:

Thank you.