Blake Gendebien, a Democratic candidate for New York's 21st Congressional District, drew controversy for his comments about local workers compared to immigrant labor. He argued that local residents suffer from various personal issues, making it difficult to find reliable labor. In a 2013 interview, he noted that his Hispanic employees work long hours, while he believes local replacements tend to show up late or have other personal issues. His stance has drawn criticism from Republican officials, who claim he is disconnected from the electorate's values on labor and immigration.
Gendebien stated He'd be hard-pressed to find one decent local replacement worker due to issues like domestic abuse and alcohol problems.
The farmer-turned-candidate recalled bailing out a farm worker detained by ICE, describing the agents' actions as profiling based on skin color.
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