President Obama is expected to address the country Thursday night to talk about immigration reform.
He is planning to take executive action to possibly grant work permits to millions of illegal immigrants living in the United States, but this could have real impacts on farmers in Berks County.
Mark O'Neill, with the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, told us it is very difficult for farmers to find local American workers to tend to their crops.
"It has nothing to do with pay. In fact, many people are very highly paid who work on the farm, but Americans simply are not interested in doing that type of work. And a lot of the work is seasonal, where here Americans want a job full-time, year-round," said O'Neill, the bureau's communications director.
So, many farmers go to the next best thing -- legal foreign workers. But O'Neill admitted some of these seasonal workers may have forged documents. If the government decides to deport millions of workers, it could put Pennsylvania farms in jeopardy.
That is why O'Neill said he hopes one of the key components of President Obama's plan allows experienced workers, who have been working on farms for years in the state, to be able to continue working.
But he believes it is going to take more than an executive action from the president.
"Action is going to need to be taken regardless of what this is with Congress in the long term because even if there is some positive things in this executive action for agriculture, it is not going to be a long-term fix," said O'Neill.
Some Berks County residents agree the president should work with Congress.
"He should listen to Congress," said Colin Eutsler. "We elected our congressman to represent us, not to represent one person or a king, so that is why he should listen to Congress in this matter."
Others said they believe the president is doing the right thing.
"I think it would be a great idea. I think there are lots of people who we do not have a very good process for figuring out whether they belong here or not and whether they can stay, and I think we should give him a chance," said Victoria Williams.
Republican leaders are warning President Obama that he will come to regret the steps that he is announcing.
They also said they are "considering a variety of options'' for when they control both the House and Senate next year.
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