Friends of Rural New York

An Associated Press news article reported that an Idaho county commissioner is filing a RICO racketeering lawsuit against businesses that hire illegal workers. Illegal aliens cost taxpayers millions of dollars for education, social services and law enforcement. Basically, hiring illegal workers is another way that businesses externalize their costs to the community.
We mention this in light of the recent unfortunate drowning of a farm worker at Willet Dairy in Cayuga County. It turned out that the worker was an illegal immigrant as were his companions.  It is suspected that a large percentage of laborers on factory farms are illegal workers.
Curiously, when factory farms present their rationale to politicians they claim that they are contributing to the local economy. In a stunning display of shortsightedness, politicians and residents accept the rationale. Factory farms often hire illegals. They get the cheaper labor. We pay the costs.