"Somewhere between 50 to 60 percent of the food you eat has been touched by immigrant hands, and it is fair to say some of them are not here as they should be here. But if you didn't have these folks, you would be spending a lot more - three, four or five times more - for food, or we would have to import food and have all the food security risks"

In this quote, Tom Vilsack is highlighting the substantial function that immigrants play in the food industry. He states that a big part of the food we consume has actually been dealt with by immigrant employees, and acknowledges that a few of them might not have proper documentation. However, he highlights the significance of their contributions, stating that without them, the expense of food would significantly increase or we would have to rely on imported food, which features its own threats. Vilsack's words clarified the important function that immigrants play in our society and the prospective effects of not acknowledging their contributions.