The White House has announced a new rule this week to curb legal and illegal immigration into the U.S., which one Iowa Congress member says goes against the values stated on one of the nation’s landmarks.

The rule, which is set to take effect October 15th, would reject applicants for temporary or permanent visas if they fail to meet high enough income standards or if they receive public assistance such as welfare, food stamps, public housing, or Medicaid. Representative for Iowa’s Third District Cindy Axne says this policy could be detrimental to the agriculture industry, which she says constantly faces of lack of workers.

Axne comments on the new rule, “This new policy that he wants to put in place is something that would favor people who have money and I don’t think that that’s what it said on the Statue of Liberty when it meant ‘… your tired and huddled masses…’ It wasn’t just so that wealthy people or folks with means could get into this country.”

Axne adds the country needs more workers, and this policy would force another hit on the ag industry. To hear more from Axne, listen to Thursday’s Let’s Talk Guthrie County program at raccoonvalleyradio.com.