"Like that fresh salad? Might want to enjoy it while you can. Immigrant workers and farmworker advocates fear a new state immigration law could worsen labor shortages in South Florida’s agricultural industry, making it harder and costlier to plant, harvest and ship the fresh fruits and vegetables that consumers have grown to expect. The new law, which took effect July 1, cracks down on workers without proper Florida documentation through a variety of means, from invalidating certain out-of-state driver licenses that immigrants use to subjecting new hires for some companies to background checks. The law also requires hospitals that accept Medicaid to ask patients about their immigration status. Taken together, the law has a chilling effect on workers and producers alike, and growers and farmworkers told the Miami Herald the impact could be far-reaching as workers prepare to return to Florida to harvest winter and spring produce. Even a special federal visa for agriculture, called H-2A, might not fill the gap because of the expense of attracting workers through the program. Will farmworkers and their families avoid Florida en masse? Will growers pull back on planting? This was a self-made mistake that Florida lawmakers and employers need to address."
https://www.tampabay.com/opinion/2023/09/16/scared-farmworkers-high-achieving-teens-editorial/
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