Facing labor shortages exacerbated by strict immigration enforcement, Florida’s legislature is considering a bill loosening child labor laws. The proposed legislation would permit 14-year-olds to work overnight shifts, even on school nights, significantly expanding allowable work hours for minors. Governor DeSantis, a proponent of the bill, argues this addresses workforce needs, echoing his stance on immigration. However, this move comes amidst a rise in child labor violations and concerns from economists about potential negative economic consequences.
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Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez warned that President Trump’s deportation policies would negatively impact the American economy, particularly the agricultural sector, resulting in empty farms and increased food prices. This mass deportation plan, according to experts, carries a massive economic cost, potentially reaching hundreds of billions of dollars annually. The resulting labor shortages in agriculture and other industries reliant on immigrant workers would significantly disrupt the economy and increase costs for consumers. Ocasio-Cortez emphasized the vital contributions of immigrants to the U.S. economy, arguing that these policies would ultimately harm the country.
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California farmers who supported Donald Trump during his presidential campaigns now face a potentially devastating consequence: the deportation of half their workforce. This situation highlights a stark irony; these farmers backed Trump, in part, due to his promises to increase water access for the Central Valley. However, his equally forceful campaign pledges on mass deportations of undocumented immigrants threaten the very foundation of their agricultural operations.
The significant reliance on undocumented workers within California’s agricultural sector is undeniable. These workers form at least half, and potentially much more, of the workforce responsible for harvesting the bounty of crops that constitute half the produce consumed in the United States.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood