Farmers Say Immigration Law Hurting Them Badly
By: Ken Curtis
Updated: May 30, 2012
Alabama's tough immigration law is making it tough on farmers. In fact, some say they can't even get enough help to gather the summer crops. "The law has done exactly what they (lawmakers) wanted it to do," said John Aplin.. "It has alienated all of our migrant workers and run most of them (migrants) out of the state." The owner of Aplin Farms claims he has lost half his migrant workforce leaving him with only seven migrants to work in the fields.
Aplin takes issue with those who contend legal residents should have the jobs---not those in the United States illegally. In fact, the veteran grower said, despite a high number of people out of a job, he can't hire folks. "We told people May 1 we were hiring but, a month later, only two of those who inquired have actually shown up (for work)," Aplin said.
