Thread by @TrueMattEdwards

"But Americans aren't applying for those jobs!"

I knew this would be an excuse coming from some in reaction to my article in @HumanEvents today.

Well, let me share a story about that from a follower who contacted me a short while ago. 🧵

First, here is the X post of that article in @HumanEvents

https://x.com/TrueMattEdwards/status/1938676755096838312

So, a follower shared a gripping story with me about her husband’s 8 years hauling milk in Twin Falls, Idaho’s dairy industry. “70% of dairy workers are illegal,” he says, and the work environment pushes Americans out. Here’s the truth. 👇

In the Magic Valley, he saw ICE raids where workers, tipped off, “took off across the dairy knowing officers wouldn’t chase them through the poo-ridden fields.” Most escaped.

But the problem isn't just with illegals, bussed-in visa-holders helped create an unwelcoming space too

Industry claims Americans “don’t want” these jobs. But the reality? “I wouldn’t want to work there either,” the wife writes. Why? A “language barrier” where workers “don’t speak English or pretend not to” creates chaos.

Milk haulers need milkers to switch tank lines to avoid contamination. “Many times, the milkers refuse,” hiding behind the language barrier. When finally pressed, “the milker learns English real quick.” This isn’t about work—it’s a system that enables dysfunction.

Then there’s “shear animosity” toward haulers. “There is definitely racism in the dairies,” directed at her white husband, who faced swearing in Spanish and “spitefully disrespect[ful]” treatment. “It created a hostile work environment.”

The wife calls out the myth that Americans won’t work these jobs: “They created the lack of interest by inundating the industry with foreign workers.” Nobody wants to work where they’re “sworn at in a different language” or ignored.

“It’s probably less expensive to hire an American over a work-visa foreign worker, but it’s not less expensive than hiring an illegal,” she says. Ag owners’ “thirst for cheap labor” fuels this quasi-indentured system.

Twin Falls’ dairies are “Mexican-friendly environments… done on purpose to keep Americans out and the demand for illegal immigrants in.” If workplaces were fair—clear communication, respect, decent pay—Americans would take these jobs.

“Shame on the legislators who stood up for these industry workers who want to keep this lawlessness abounding,” she writes. It’s time for reform that prioritizes American workers and ends this cycle of exploitation.

This is just from one letter I have received. I've heard these arguments over and over from others.

This is what I mean when I say, these employers have to WANT to hire Americans. It must be a active task, driven by a love of country and a willingness to create a robust system that doesn't exploit.

Why is this concept so hard to get behind?

Sure, some argue that we should have open borders and free markets, saying a company’s sole purpose is to maximize profits. But this can erode a nation’s identity, culture, and future for natural-born citizens’ children.

Unchecked illegal labor displaces Americans, creating workplaces where citizens feel alienated. This fragments communities, weakens cultural cohesion, and prioritizes profit over national unity.

Children of citizens face a future with fewer job opportunities when industries favor cheap, illegal labor. This undermines the social contract, leaving young Americans with a diluted sense of belonging in their own country

My Human Events article points out that approximately 7 million able-bodied adult men are sitting out the workforce, uncounted for in the unemployment numbers. These are Americans that we can tap into and entice back to the workforce.

A nation’s strength lies in its shared identity and opportunities for its people. Profit-driven open borders risk hollowing out that foundation, leaving a legacy of division. Balance is needed—we can’t trump sovereignty.

What's your take?