An article in bloombergbusinessweek (Nov 14,2011) describes the impact of stricter immigration laws in Alabama – the near disappearance of workers from Guatemala who worked in the tomato fields and fish processing plants.  Given retail competition from importers who pay low wages abroad, domestic manufacturers can only afford fo pay minimum wage, expect backbreaking performance and skip medical benefits. but such jobs are then shunned by unemployed US workers, thus pressurizing domestic manufacturers.  Sould Alabama ease immigration law enforcement, thus enabling local manufacturing ? Should farmers switch to more automated picking and associated crops ? Should the state subsidize some of the labor costs and make agriculture more productive ?