California farmers rely on workers largely from Mexico to harvest crops. Many farmers will only hire legal immigrants, but a substantial portion of California's farming industry relies on workers without the proper authorizations. The Trump administration has indicated that it plans to crack down on workers who are in the country illegally. During the George W. Bush administration, in an attempt to strengthen enforcement of U.S. immigration laws, a regulation was enacted that required employers who received a "No-Match Letter" from the Social Security Administration not to hire the prospective employee whose Social Security Number did not correspond with the employee's name. The Obama administration relaxed and eventually rescinded the rule. The concern now is that the Trump administration will bring the rule back. This would have a huge impact on agriculture and service industries. The hope of many farmers is that the administration will only seek to go after undocumented workers with criminal records.
Disclaimer: This Alert has been prepared and published for informational purposes only and is not offered, nor should be construed, as legal advice. For more information, please see the firm's full disclaimer.
