Will 'guests' replace illegals?

WASHINGTON — New studies say an expanded "guest worker" program could help halt illegal immigration, since a similar, now-abandoned program actually accomplished that in the mid-1950s.

Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, and co-sponsors of a drive for a "guest worker" program, used a Capitol press conference Thursday to release those new studies by the private National Foundation for American Policy.

"These studies demonstrate that illegal immigration can be reduced by creating legal channels to meet the labor requirements of America's agricultural industry," said Cannon, whose congressional district covers most of Utah County.

The studies quote historical government data and analysis that said the "bracero" guest farm worker program that operatedfrom 1942 to 1964 actually stopped illegal immigration for a period in the mid-1950s when it was coupled with stronger enforcement against illegal aliens.

The studies said when it was discontinued in 1964, Congress essentially asked immigration officials "to do the impossible — stop or significantly halt illegal immigration without the use of sufficient legal avenues to meet the demand for labor in the United States." So, illegal immigration boomed to meet demand on both sides of the border.

Cannon added that an unintended consequence of making border crossings more difficult was that it created "an incentive for illegal workers to stay in the U.S. rather than return to their home country" after seasonal work.

One of the studies, after evaluating several options, suggests reducing illegal immigration now is most likely through a combination of expanding and simplifying guest worker programs, allowing workers now here illegally to earn legal status and increasing enforcement of other immigration laws.

Cannon said the Agricultural Job Opportunity, Benefits and Security Act he and others are pushing would do that. It aims to simplify and expand the now tough-to-obtain H-2A visas for temporary work and to allow illegal alien workers in the country before the bill was introduced to earn legal status.

Cannon and co-sponsors said a side benefit is that it may help in the fight against terrorism.

"It would bring out people (who are here illegally) who now lurk in the shadows" to register to take advantage of incentives to earn legal status, Cannon said.

Rep. George Radanovich said, "It helps us know who's here legally, and who's not."

Radanovich added that expanding and simplifying guest worker programs is "a great opportunity for people to come into this country and do work that, frankly, Americans won't do."

Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, said America needs those workers. "American farming is in a crisis of dependency on foreign workers here without illegal documentation," he said.

Cannon said a lack of farm workers has led to "an increasing number of farms . . . going out of business, as growers are not able to hire a legal and consistent work force. As a result, we face the possibility of a compromised domestic food supply."

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