What Has Immigration to Do with Food?

Like many of us, immigration is on my mind. I see the same news that we all see; I am horrified by the violence I see around an issue that should be anything but violent.

For me, this issue is about food, as well human decency.

My grandparents, on both sides came to this country seeking a better life from the poverty in which they lived, in Naples, Italy and Cork, Ireland. When they arrived, the Italians were met with a less than warm welcome, as were my Irish ancestors. From Italians not being allowed to eat in restaurants as they were too dirty, to ‘Irish Need Not Apply’ signs in every shop and business window, they persevered against all odds.

My Italian family and my husband’s Sicilian family cultivated every inch of soil around their humble homes and neighborhoods, growing their own food as much as the weather allowed. Small family farms gave us the fresh food we could not grow. We drove to each one weekly for their farm stand markets to buy fresh, local foods.

Today, the small family farm is in jeopardy. With only about 2 million small family-owned farms in operation, contributing only 19% of our food, that leaves the balance of our fresh produce cultivated by large-scale farms owned by wealthy private landowners, corporations and institutional investors.

Those farms are kept running by immigrant workers, some here only seasonally during busy times. Almost every strawberry, peach, tomato, head of celery or lettuce; in fact, almost every piece of fresh produce you enjoy was picked by immigrant hands (unless you grew it yourself).

Those berries, whose delicate juices burst on your tongue; the peaches, apricots and plums with their luscious juices running down your wrist as you sigh with pleasure; bite into a crisp, sweet apple or lush pear? Very likely, you would not see these gorgeous foods without immigrant labor.

And if you have every eaten out. The behind the scenes labor in that kitchen serving you that meal? You guessed it: mostly immigrant labor.

As the late, great chef Anthony Bourdain accurately said: “People have differing opinions on what we should do about immigration in the future. How open or how closed our borders should be. Fine.

But let’s be honest, at least, about who is cooking in America NOW. Who we rely on–have relied on for decades. The bald fact is that the entire restaurant industry in America would close down overnight, would never recover, if current immigration laws were enforced quickly and thoroughly across the board.

Everyone in the industry knows this. It is undeniable. Illegal labor is the backbone of the service and hospitality industry–Mexican, Salvadoran and Ecuadoran in particular. To contemplate actually doing without is to contemplate mass closings, a general shake-out of individually owned and operated restaurants–and, of course, unthinkably (now) higher prices in the places that manage to survive.

I know very few chefs who’ve even heard of a US born citizen coming in the door to ask for a dishwasher, night clean-up or kitchen prep job. Until that happens–let’s at least try to be honest when discussing this issue.”

I can tell you from my own experiences in commercial kitchens over the years…nothing could be truer than this statement. Our lovely restaurant industry would collapse without the immigrants willing to take on so many of the backbreaking tasks day to day to serve meals, from hospitals to fast food to Michelin starred destinations.

Do we need comprehensive immigration reform that allows for legal ways to naturalize to this country? We do. We need to deport anyone who engages in harmful activities.

My grandparents were sponsored and became citizens, despite how reviled they were. My grandfather served as a US Marine with the pride that only an immigrant can have.

But let us never forget that many of the jobs we ‘farm out’ to others because we are too busy or cannot be bothered to do are done by hardworking people who pay their taxes (the benefits of which they will never reap) and help grow our economy. From cleaning homes to babysitting to landscaping, house repairs, appliance installation and…how our food is grown, harvested, processed, cooked and served, immigrants bring a lot to our country of immigrants.

Even if your ancestors arrived on our shores on the Mayflower, the Native Americans were here first and they remain the only true Americans. We arrived and plundered our way west, claiming this country as ours…and now it is. We have built it on the backs of every immigrant that came or was brought here.

Like all immigrants, we were looking for freedom from oppression, or simply just a better life for our children. So if this little blog angers you to the point of writing to me and telling me to ‘stay in my lane’ or ‘die’  or ‘stay out of politics; you’re here for the recipes’ (yes, I have been told all of these charming things and worse), think before you post it. Think about what it might say about you. Would a real patriot of this great country try to stifle someone’s right to speak their mind? Would they? Would a compassionate human allow suffering and cruelty? I think you know the answer.

Immigrants, like us are human. They are not animals or ‘bad hombres’ or murderers and rapists. While there is a criminal element, as in ALL our populations, for the most part, they are hardworking, contributing to our country in the most invisible and valuable ways, especially when it comes to the food we eat.