Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in Hawaii

[HiloJulie]

"It’s Friday and there’s a new farm worker policy, different from yesterday."

Well, let's see where we are at on Monday...

"good, reputable farmers,"

I wonder who and then what criteria is used to define a "good, reputable farmer?" My guess is having a Trump flag flying on a "huge, beautiful" mast in the middle of your crop fields might just make you a "good, reputable farmer."

"they can take responsibility for the people that they hire"

As we have come to expect as the norm nowadays, but, as usual, a bit confusing here.

I wonder, does this mean ICE deports the farmer? The farmer goes to jail if an undocumented immigrant employee commits a crime?

Asking for a friend. (Who is a Kona Coffee Farmer.) (Who is also now in the market for a nice huge, beautiful flag mast)

[kalianna]

What pleasure do you guys get from posting about national politics while pretending itʻs about Hawaii?

[HiloJulie]

Let me be really clear here.

I take ZERO pleasure in talking about what is happening to and in Hawaii due to National politics.

But to not discuss it at this point, quite frankly, makes you complicit.

I do have a very near and dear friend who is a Kona Coffee Farmer. He does NOT employ undocumented immigrants, but his entire farm operations have been reduced to a roller coaster ride with Sybil at the switch due to these ICE raids on other farms. In Kona. Here in Hawaii. 

I also have family on the mainland who are corn and soybean farmers. They too do NOT employ undocumented immigrants, but their farm has been raided, causing the entire day's activities to be shut down, costing them tens of thousands of dollars on 3 separate occasions since this all stared a few weeks ago. Dozens of masked armed agents in big SUV's at 5AM.

So, bury your head in the black sand at Kehena if you must, but maybe attend the next "No Kings" Rally in Hilo. Looks like July 17th is the next Nationwide planned protest.

Maybe join the thousand plus people who showed up for the last one a week ago. In Hilo. And in Waimea. And in Kona. 

And maybe, just try give a damn.

['elepaio]

sounds like your friends and fam choosing to be on the RIGHT side of the law .. Good on them to give a damm and now get clean record. Remember. We are all in this together Jules.

[kalianna]

Wrong turn, Karen. Never been to Kehena. Been an activist over many decades. I just call BS when I see it. Bye bye again.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

pretending itʻs about Hawaii?

Some people come to Punaweb when there’s an earthquake, here in Hawaii.
Or an earthquake thousands of miles away because it could generate a tsunami, here in Hawaii.
Some get their hurricane info here even if the storm is still far closer to the mainland, or Mexico.

Do you think it’s possible there are Big Island farmers who might check Punaweb to find links to the constantly changing ICE policy? Even if you’re not a farmer with employees?

Each of us has different interests. We don’t all read every thread. Some of us connect the dots and see a map of the Big Island. Others think it’s just a cloud.

[kalianna]

HOTPE, I put my response on the bicker board.

[TomK]

HOTPE, I put my response on the bicker board.

Why not respond here unless you are bickering?

[Durian Fiend]

HOTPE, I put my response on the bicker board.

Why not respond here unless you are bickering?

Good question.  It seems they are troubled by the insidious seepage of national politics into this forum and seek to limit it to the bicker board, which I don't agree with given this particular thread is still active.   

Here's the latest news I've found, dated 5 days ago.  

https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/local-...ids-so-far "Kona coffee fields spared ICE raids so far"

“I've seen nothing to show or even tell me that there's any policing or raiding, and nothing through the coconut wireless as of yet,” said Roger Kaiwi, a Kona coffee farmer and the president of the Kona Coffee Council. “Not to say that it's not gonna happen, but I've seen nothing … Each day I'm in probably four to five coffee farms — a couple hundred acres — and I've seen no sign of anything like that.”
One reason is that there isn't a lot of labor in local coffee fields right now. Coffee harvest season starts roughly in August and runs through March, so there hasn't been much to do on coffee fields..."

[kalianna]

Correcto , DF. Since this is a thread about immigration and the debate turned into a discussion about politics I moved imy comment away. Glad you put this back on track.