Restaurant operators need to keep talking about immigration

Restaurant operators need to stop being afraid of the “I” word.

Immigration.

It’s a topic restaurant operators need to continue talking about with their lawmakers and communities to keep it top of mind, despite apparent gridlock on the issue on Capitol Hill.

So said Emily Williams Knight, president and CEO of the Texas Restaurant Association, in a session at the National Restaurant Association Show on Saturday.

Knight was joined by Aaron Frazier, vice president of public policy for the National Restaurant Association, and Kevin Vaughan, head of Vaughan Hospitality Group and former president of the Illinois Restaurant Association.

The three argued that the U.S. needs comprehensive immigration reform and the aggressive deportation policies of the current Administration are harming the restaurant industry—and the larger economy— in three ways:

The cost of food is going up. Immigrant labor is involved in every step, said Knight, “from the plant it, pick it, package, ship it, prepare it. At each point, there is some risk.”

Sales and traffic have decreased. “We have a lot of data that shows where we have a Hispanic community that is 40% or more Hispanic, we actually have a decreased level of spending and traffic,” said Knight. “We have a large percentage of our population that are afraid to go out, and they’re not spending. And in those communities, we’re seeing a definite impact to restaurants.”

Workforce shortages are worsening. In Texas, restaurants are already seeing a shortage of tens of thousands of workers, Knight said. “Either they’re afraid to come to work, or they can no longer come to work,” she said. “That’s going to distract restaurants from being able to work at capacity and generate revenue.”

The problem is: What to do about it.

The National Restaurant Association has been lobbying in support of the Dignity Act, a bipartisan reform bill that would create a legal path for Dreamers and temporary protected status holders, as well as create a workable work visa system and a legal pipeline for future workers.

But Congress isn’t doing anything right now, said Knight.

Vaughan, an immigrant himself (born in Ireland), said he operates in a blue state, and his local lawmakers are already on board for immigration reform.

It may seem pointless to keep pushing, in that case, he said, but it’s important to keep the issue top of mind.

The FIFA World Cup coming to the U.S. this summer could be an opportunity to make the case, with the global spotlight on U.S. policies that travelers will experience first hand in restaurants and bars across the country.

It’s an economic issue, not a partisan one, said Knight.

In Texas, for example, every dollar spent in a restaurant puts $1.99 back into the local community.

“We need to make people aware the restaurant industry cannot survive without immigrants,” said Vaughan.