BOISE, Idaho — Lawmakers and lobbyists filled a senate committee room in the basement of Idaho's capitol Monday to hear the latest details on one of the states worst kept secrets.
Cornerstones of Idaho's economy - including hospitality, construction and agriculture - depend heavily on undocumented workers. The Idaho Dairymen's Association and the Idaho Farm Bureau commissioned a study with the University of Idaho's McClure Center for Public Policy Research to bring people's understanding of the topic up to speed.
"Good policy follows good data," Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry (IACI) President Alex LaBeau said. "What we want to do is present that data in a realistic way and in a respectful way as well."
The report concluded Idaho's undocumented population is largely unchanged over the past two decades. The figure has consistently floated around 35,000 people. Roughly 86% of them are working and often filling jobs and industries natural born US citizens won't fill, according to the report.
"We have a very stable unauthorized workforce in Idaho," Idaho Dairymen's Association CEO Rick Naerebout said. "You take them out of the equation. And I don't know where you find 30,000 workers to come fill those jobs in this state."
Industry leaders depending on undocumented workers are concerned about a recent push at the statehouse to mandate E-Verify - an electronic program to quickly determine a personal legal status to work in the United States.
Naerebout told KTVB in October 2023 the vast majority of dairy workers in Idaho are undocumented, because the federal government has not updated the agriculture visa work program since the 1980's. Dairy is a year-round job, while the current visa program is only for seasonal work.
"This is a federal policy issue, the state does not have the authority to grant us visas," Naerebout said. "It's not a complete policy solution."
Rep. Jordan Redman (R - Coeur d'Alene) introduced legislation to mandate E-Verify for the private sector; however, the bill has since sat in a committee drawer with little attention.
"I do think our southern border is the biggest issue in our country right now," Rep. Redman said. "I am trying to tackle it on the state level and figure out something we can do. This is what we have at this point, but I do think it changes a little bit."
Rep. Redman has met with industry leaders who oppose E-Verify until the federal government reforms the agriculture visa work program. The north Idaho lawmaker does not want to chase a policy that creates unintended consequences for the state's economy.
"So, that's why currently the bill is being held," Rep. Redman said. "We need to take that into account."
Rep. Redman is not certain on what exact changes create a compromise; Naerebout's convinced the federal government must act first. The McClure report shows mandating E-Verify can have a negative impact on the number of farm workers.
- Mississippi (-10.4%)
- Arizona (-9.3%)
- South Carolina (-4.6%)
- Alabama (-3.8%)
- Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Utah experienced no changes.
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