Illegal immigration has been a problem since the 1980s.  The federal government caused this problem and the federal government needs to fix it.

The Biden administration opened the flood gates and brought everything to a head.  There are 2 different populations that could be categorized as illegal aliens and illegal immigrants.

The first group is the millions of Biden illegals allowed into the US.  They need to be identified and deported.  No amnesty, no naturalization and certainly no citizenship.

The next group is long term or imbedded immigrants who have been here for up to 40 years.  This occurred primarily because of the rules established by the federal government for accepting Form I-9.  Essentially, the rules said if the forms of identification looked acceptable to a “reasonable person”, they could not be questioned.

In plain language, if the IDs looked OK, they had to be accepted. One could not request an I-9 to be filled out until a job was offered.  One may argue the politics, but not the law.  This resulted in thousands of immigrants getting jobs, paying taxes, getting married, having kids (US citizens), buying cars, buying homes, starting businesses and so on.  In other words, living productive lives and filling a job market that wasn’t being filled by the traditional young male in search of a first job that used to be the primary labor source for these jobs.

The McClure Center for Public Policy conducted a 2024 study estimating the current US unauthorized population at 10.5 million and the Idaho population consistently at about 35,000 for several years.  Here are some interesting facts:

• In 2021, 76% of the adult population had been in Idaho for 6 or more years
• 2014 study showed at least half had been in Idaho for more than 16 years.
• 86% of the population are working
• 48% have a high school diploma, some college or a bachelor’s degree.
• 78% are from Mexico
• 58% speak English “well” or “very well”
• Many of the unauthorized immigrants have overstayed their visas
• In 2021 there were an estimated 10,000 workers in agriculture, 10,000 in services broadly, and 5,000 in construction
• Taxes paid in 2014 (latest available) of$26.3 M
  • $15.5 M sales tax
  • $8.4 M property tax
  • 4 M income tax

View the full report:  go.uidaho.edu/workforce2024

E-Verify

E-Verify has been promoted as a cure all for identifying illegal applicants.

All E-Verify does is identify if the social security number submitted on the I-9 matches the name and number that the Social Security administration has on record.  It has been implied that there is biometric identification of the applicant of record with the I-9 SS number.  That is false.  If the feds have a photo associated with the I-9 information sent into E-Verify, they will send a photo back to the employerwho is then responsible to verify whether the applicant is who they say they are.

Nebraska meat packing company Glenn Valley Foods was raided by ICE on June 10, 2025.  ICE verified that the company had used E-Verify for all of the employee working for them.  The raid identified 74 of the 140 employees at the time of raid as illegal immigrants. Clearly, E-verify is not the answer to employee verification.  It is a tool that has a place in the hiring process for some employers but should not be imposed on all employers.

President Trump recognizes the need for legislation that would deal with long term illegal immigrants.  Governor Little has supported the deportation of criminal illegal aliens.  President Trump understands that the long-term imbedded work force is an important part of our economy, not just in Idaho, but nationwide.

I support action by congress similar to that of President Reagan in 1986.  As this population is identified, or chooses to step forward, there would be a process whereby if the individual meets a set of criteria (ie. more than 6 years continual residence, have no criminal record, have been continually employed, is not receiving welfare, has paid all taxes and penalties, etc.), they would quality for some form of work permit.  Naturalization or citizenship would not be allowed.  Those not meeting the criteria would be deported.

I use H2A workers on the farming operation.  The law requires that I advertise the same job description and qualifications that the H2A workers agree to.  In 5 years, I have never received a job application from a US citizen for a job.  We need a legal foreign labor program that works for Idaho businesses.

The federal government is responsible for control of illegal immigration.  The federal government caused this problem and the federal government needs to fix it.  Idaho needs to support President Trump to formulate and pass law that provides for year around workers for this necessary and hard to fill workforce.

• Illegal Immigration