MONROE - Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch discussed states receiving more authority from the federal government to manage undocumented workers in a visit to Monroe on Friday.
Kleefisch, while talking about a shortage of workers in the state, said it's common knowledge that undocumented workers are filling many front-line labor jobs in the dairy industry.
"We have a lot of people working in the shadows," Kleefisch said.
In addition to identifying citizens receiving welfare-like benefits, who could be working, and training people properly for jobs, Kleefisch said there should be "a third component" to filling Wisconsin's current job gap. That option, Kleefisch said, is a new federalist-theory-based immigration policy that gives states oversight of visas for workers.
"Folks don't like to talk about it (undocumented immigrant workers), but couldn't we think further out of the box?" Kleefisch asked. "Federalism gives us a state-based solution to workforce needs ... and that is a state-based immigration policy."
Kleefisch said there are approximately 91,000 jobs available in Wisconsin. She said 53,000 people are registered in one way or another as unemployed and could potentially join the workforce. That leaves a gap of approximately 38,000 "unfilled jobs" that could be filled by people who are now undocumented immigrants, she said.
"Wisconsin has a crop that needs to be harvested three times a day - milk." Kleefisch said. "We need a lot more guest worker visas. We don't get to talk about it in Madison, because it's a federal issue. But couldn't it, shouldn't it be left for the states? We should add a state layer of checks and balances for guest worker visas."
Kleefisch said this would help undocumented workers get out of the shadows and ultimately help whole families.
"We have to evaluate who is here before we move forward," Kleefisch said, noting there is a crime element attached to some undocumented individuals living in the country illegally.
Kleefisch will be joining the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) in a trade venture to Mexico in June.
Kleefisch was in Monroe to discuss the 2017-2019 biennial state budget, which includes a $650 million increase in state aid to schools.
She said state aid is needed in rural schools, which have fewer students, but proportionally more overhead than larger schools. To address this, Kleefisch said rural schools would receive more sparsity aid.
Delivering more aid to rural schools includes a diverse plan providing rural broadband internet and additional transportation aid.
The budget provides an additional $77 million in local road aid, Kleefisch said.
Kleefisch, while talking about a shortage of workers in the state, said it's common knowledge that undocumented workers are filling many front-line labor jobs in the dairy industry.
"We have a lot of people working in the shadows," Kleefisch said.
In addition to identifying citizens receiving welfare-like benefits, who could be working, and training people properly for jobs, Kleefisch said there should be "a third component" to filling Wisconsin's current job gap. That option, Kleefisch said, is a new federalist-theory-based immigration policy that gives states oversight of visas for workers.
"Folks don't like to talk about it (undocumented immigrant workers), but couldn't we think further out of the box?" Kleefisch asked. "Federalism gives us a state-based solution to workforce needs ... and that is a state-based immigration policy."
Kleefisch said there are approximately 91,000 jobs available in Wisconsin. She said 53,000 people are registered in one way or another as unemployed and could potentially join the workforce. That leaves a gap of approximately 38,000 "unfilled jobs" that could be filled by people who are now undocumented immigrants, she said.
"Wisconsin has a crop that needs to be harvested three times a day - milk." Kleefisch said. "We need a lot more guest worker visas. We don't get to talk about it in Madison, because it's a federal issue. But couldn't it, shouldn't it be left for the states? We should add a state layer of checks and balances for guest worker visas."
Kleefisch said this would help undocumented workers get out of the shadows and ultimately help whole families.
"We have to evaluate who is here before we move forward," Kleefisch said, noting there is a crime element attached to some undocumented individuals living in the country illegally.
Kleefisch will be joining the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) in a trade venture to Mexico in June.
Kleefisch was in Monroe to discuss the 2017-2019 biennial state budget, which includes a $650 million increase in state aid to schools.
She said state aid is needed in rural schools, which have fewer students, but proportionally more overhead than larger schools. To address this, Kleefisch said rural schools would receive more sparsity aid.
Delivering more aid to rural schools includes a diverse plan providing rural broadband internet and additional transportation aid.
The budget provides an additional $77 million in local road aid, Kleefisch said.