On Wednesday, July 28, at 10:00 a.m. CT / 11 EST, farmers, Dreamers and business owners from across the Midwest will join the American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC) for a virtual event called Expanding the Midwest’s Workforce Through Commonsense Immigration Reform.
They will call attention to the devastating economic impact of the labor shortage facing midwestern farmers and companies, exacerbated by the pandemic. Whether through bipartisanship or reconciliation, speakers will urge their Senators to pass the Crapo-Bennet Senate companion bill to the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, DREAM Act, and SECURE Act.
Speakers include:
- Alfonso Vidal, CEO, Vidal Plastics, LLC (Evansville, IN)
- Sofia, Undocumented DREAMer, TheDream.US Scholar (Indiana)
- Tom Demaline, President & CEO, Willoway Nurseries (Avon, OH)
- Dr. Jane Fernandes, Former Guilford College President, incoming president for an Ohio member university of the President’s Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration
- Kim Lovelace-Hainsfurther, President, Forrest Keeling Nursery (Elsberry, MO)
- Tom Hughes, President & CEO, Hughes Nursery & Landscaping (Cedar Rapids, IA)
- Kristine Hillmer, President & CEO, Wisconsin Restaurant Association
- Derek Ahl, Partner, Northern Family Farms (Merrillan, WI)
- Cesar Gajales, Public Affairs Director, The Libre Initiative
- Andy Johnston, Vice President of Government Affairs, Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce
- Chris Alpers, Vice Chair, US Apple; Owner, Redpath Orchards, (Leelanau County, MI)
- Brad Williams, Vice President of Government Relations, Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce
- Steve Obert, Executive Director, Indiana Dairy Producers
- Craig Regelbrugge, Senior Vice President, AmericanHort (Columbus, OH)
- James O’Neill, Director of Outreach, ABIC
