Standing for Sensible Immigration Solutions: Why We Opposed House Joint Memorial 11

President Biden’s failure to address the crisis at our southern border is undeniably impacting Idahoans. As representatives of District 8, we’ve seen the disaster our country’s open borders have created and we share the frustration of our constituents. However, House Joint Memorial 11 was not the solution we needed and the bill failed on the House floor earlier this week. While we share the frustration of Idahoans on President Biden’s handling of the border crisis, we could not support this measure that undermined sensible solutions and resorted to inflammatory rhetoric.

One of the key reasons for our opposition to House Joint Memorial 11 was its disregard for the vital role that legal temporary workers play in Idaho’s economy. Businesses across our state, particularly in the agricultural sector, rely on visa holders to meet unfulfilled labor needs. From farmers to ranchers, these workers are essential for sustaining our economy and ensuring the continued success of Idaho businesses. Ignoring the importance of legal temporary workers is not only short-sighted but also detrimental to our state’s economic prosperity.

Furthermore, we cannot support a measure that calls for stalling immigration solutions until certain political conditions are met. House Joint Memorial 11 urged Congress to delay action on addressing the southern border crisis until President Biden is impeached and specific legislation is passed. Such a stance is not only impractical but also counterproductive. The urgency of the crisis at our borders demands immediate intervention. We cannot afford to wait for a lengthy and cumbersome process, as proposed in Joint Memorial 11.

It is essential to address the crisis at our southern border with seriousness and urgency. However, House Joint Memorial 11 failed to provide the necessary framework for solving our country’s immigration disaster. We stand with the Idaho Farm Bureau and our fellow agricultural producers in recognizing the importance of legal temporary workers and advocating for timely immigration policies. The southern border crisis requires immediate intervention, not a stalled, cumbersome process as provided in Joint Memorial 11. We must take the border crisis seriously and find immediate solutions, Joint Memorial 11 did neither. Now is the time to secure our borders and tackle the immigration crisis head-on. It is imperative that we foster safe and secure communities where our families can succeed and prosper.