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Deadline Day for Farmers

Montpelier, Vermont - November 24, 2009

Today was the deadline for several Vermont farms to turn over paperwork on their employees to Homeland Security.

Last week, as part of a nationwide federal crackdown, authorities handed out subpoenas to five Vermont businesses, at least four of them were dairy farms. The goal is to catch workers who have provided illegal documents.

The crackdown surprised the Governor. He says the solution is not to target farms, but a new visa program, so farmers can legally hire the help they need year round since not enough Vermonters will do the work.

"I've certainly been outspoken about the concern I have during the last few years about the scrutiny of migrant workers when the answer to this problem is really at the federal level, the Congress need to pass some immigration reform," said the Governor.

Senator Leahy is holding a hearing December 9th with the Department of Homeland Security Secretary. Leahy is pushing for an immediate rule change to allow farmers to keep their help.