Hallie Shoffner draws criticism over comments on undocumented farm workers

Hallie Shoffner, a Democratic candidate running for the U.S. Senate in Arkansas to unseat incumbent Tom Cotton, has drawn criticism following comments regarding undocumented farm workers. During an appearance on the podcast ‘Free Arkansas’, Shoffner stated that undocumented immigrants are exceptionally hardworking and suggested that ‘we’d trade five Americans for just one of them because of how hard they work.’

Shoffner defended the use of undocumented labor in the agricultural sector, arguing that it is ‘absolutely ridiculous’ that these individuals are being rounded up. She emphasized the reliance of farmers on foreign-born labor and noted that many workers are hardworking people who spend money and have families in the country. Her comments follow previous statements where she discussed her upbringing in an immigrant community and her experience with the H-2A guest-worker program.