Letter: It’s time to let in more hard workers

The immigration issue casts a shadow over farming in Washington. We endure a dishonest system, which is unfair to farmers, workers and consumers. Farmers need workers, workers need jobs and farm work is hard and draws hard-working immigrants, legal and otherwise. Our food is grown and picked with help from illegals.

We’ve seen the “Me Too” scandals caused by those in power abusing that power. The same abuse of power played out in the Catholic Church’s sex scandals. Illegal farm workers don’t complain. Many are treated well. But the system is a stack of lies. The farmers do their best to not know which workers are illegal.

I’m not accusing farmer (and U.S. Rep.) Dan Newhouse of anything, but he knows what he has done. The system is set up for corruption. The half-measures that might get through Congress will not resolve things (and likely even half-measures can’t become law in the current Congress).

In a nation of immigrants that is currently without enough workers, we benefit from increasing legal immigration and dealing honestly and fairly with those helping us pay our Social Security, while they can never draw what they paid in.

I’m old and tired. I say let’s welcome young immigrants.