Page 25 - ARUBA TODAY

BUSINESS Monday 6 august 2018
A25

Will economic boom complicate curbing immigration?

By COLLEEN LONG being unable to sell oysters.
Associated Press He said the company has
WASHINGTON (AP) — One been in business more than
of President Donald Trump's a half-century, and that
priorities, low unemploy- despite massive recruiting
ment, is complicating an- efforts, it can't keep Ameri-
other: curbing immigration. can workers.
With the number of jobs "We just don't have people
available exceeding the who want to come out
number of Americans seek- and shuck oysters at 3 in
ing jobs, employers are the morning — and I don't
looking beyond the border blame them," he said.
to fill openings, and mi- Some, like Erksine, are will-
grants are coming to the ing to front the cost asso-
country in search of work. ciated with a temporary
Hotel and restaurant owner work visa, about $4,000 per
Todd Callewaert is short employee for workers hold-
more than two dozen work- ing down seasonal, non-
ers this season for his Macki- agricultural jobs. But the
nac Island, Michigan, busi- visas are capped at 66,000
nesses. "You can't hire a line annually, with 15,000 addi-
cook right now, it's impos- tional visas this year.
sible, even for 20 bucks an Economists say the hiring
hour," he said. "We usually crunch could be eased
fill the gap with visa work- in part by increasing the
ers, but we can't even get number of visas available
those this year." during boom years, and
The Labor Department said decreasing them when
Friday the unemployment the economy is weaker.
rate was 3.9 percent, near But those changes must be
the 18-year low set in May, made by Congress.
and employers are adding Those turning a blind eye
jobs at a faster pace than to immigration status, or hir-
last year. ing people with false iden-
Trump has made clear em- tification face crackdowns
ployers should be trying to by immigration agents.
attract American workers Agents raided an Ohio
through wage increases garden center in the sum-
and other incentives, not mer, arresting 114 workers
filling jobs with immigrants. In this April 27, 2018 file photo, a poster announcing available jobs hangs in the window of the and accusing the business
"Curbing immigration is es- store La Guadalupana in Florence, Ky. of unlawful employment of
sential to growing wages Associated Press aliens and fraud.
and ensuring available jobs "It's not worth the risk for us
go to American workers, from their parents at the many jobs in the States." ficult journey because his to hire people we're not
not foreign workers," Depu- border, prompting inter- Frandy Frauville, 35, joined brother had secured him a sure about," said Calle-
ty White House Press Secre- national outrage. Trump a wave of Haitians who job in Maryland. Someday, waert, the hotel and res-
tary Hogan Gidley told AP. eventually stopped the came to Tijuana, Mexico, he said, his son will ask what taurant owner. But a lack
"As immigration curbs are separations and the gov- from Brazil starting in 2016. happened, and why he of staff means the business
put into place, more and ernment was forced by a Brazil welcomed Haitians had left him in the United can't grow, he said.
more Americans will be ab- judge to reunify families. after Haiti's 2010 earth- States. Rep. Dave Brat, R-Virginia.,
sorbed back into the work- Still, tens of thousands of quake. But Frauville grew "I'll tell him the truth," he a member of the conserva-
force, especially those who people cross the border il- tired of factory jobs in Mex- said. "We thought we had tive House Freedom Cau-
have been left out due to legally every month, many ico that barely allowed him a good plan to give him a cus, said he did not think
poor work history or difficult seeking asylum from vio- to cover rent and food, better life." the lower unemployment
life circumstances." lence. But often, they're and, lured by the prospects Many economists say immi- rate would weaken efforts
The administration has coming because of the of better work and join- gration is actually good for to restrict illegal immigra-
made it harder to come to prospect of work. ing family near Miami, he the economy and migrants tion.
the U.S. for work, legally or Dala Edilson Ba Juc trav- lined up with his 5-year-old provide complementary "The irony is it makes it
otherwise. Work visas are eled with his 12-year-old daughter at a border cross- work to the jobs Americans more transparent what the
costly, complicated and daughter from Guatemala ing. do. real problem of the labor
limited. Large-scale, job- to the U.S. — only to be "I'll take whatever I can Despite Trump's push, some market is," Brat said, cit-
seeking migration through separated from her at the get," he said. business owners say they ing about 10 million Ameri-
a porous border is long border, reunited and de- And Rolando Antonio Bue- just can't get Americans to cans not in the labor force.
gone. ported home. Sitting at an so Castillo, who was sepa- fill the jobs. He called for improved
This summer, the adminis- immigration facility in Gua- rated from his infant Johan, A.J. Erskine is vice president education and imposing
tration tried to deter would- temala City, he said they was making only $10 a day of Cowart Seafood Group, work requirements on food
be immigrants by adopt- came for work. driving a bus in Hondu- which includes a Virginia stamp recipients to get
ing a "zero-tolerance" "I needed to try to make a ras. He was captured and oyster company of about more of these Americans in
policy, prosecuting anyone better life for my family — I quickly deported while his 75 employees. "Entry-level the workforce.
caught crossing the border wanted them to have what baby remained behind for is $12.13 an hour," he said. "The answer is not to bring
illegally. It resulted in nearly I could not give them here," five months. "I don't know how much in 10 million folks from
3,000 children separated he said. "There are many, He said he made the dif- higher we can go without abroad," Brat said.q