Not too surprisingly, there's been a sharp drop in illegal immigration over the past few months. The border isn't sealed, but it's tighter than it was due to a combination of increased manpower (National Guards) and pressure on the INS ("Migra").
Also not surprisingly, an association of Santa Cruz County farmers announced yesterday that they're short of pickers right now -- way short. The radio story (sorry I can't provide a link) said that the farmers have only about two-thirds of the help they need to get the August crop in.
Picking strawberries is one of the hardest jobs there is, and to do it effectively and quickly enough to make money requires real expertise. I couldn't do it; I'd only get in the growers' way. The experts are people who have been doing it since childhood, and are physically fit enough to perform the job in an awkward, uncomfortable, not too healthful squat.
It's hard, honest work, and deserves respect.
It really should pay more, and due to the labor shortage, it soon might. But with fewer experts in the field, production will fall despite the higher outlay. Get ready for expensive strawberries.
Obviously we had to do something to get the illegal immigration situation under control, but we also really need to look closely at the laws, and ask ourselves how we can streamline the immigration process. We haven't determined carefully enough how many people we want coming here, where we want them to come from, and under what circumnstances we want them to come.
As it is now, it's becoming painfully obvious that we need the Mexicans and the Mexicans need us.
California does anyway.
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