Political issues are never black or white, but some are easier to stake out a position than others. Any politician will tell you it’s the “non-emotional” issues that are easier with which to deal; the problem is, there’s no such thing as a “non-emotional” political issue.

A textbook example is immigration reform. This should be a no-brainer, right? You enter the country illegally and you get caught, you get deported. You knowingly hire illegal immigrants and you face the legal consequences, i.e. big fines and jail time. Greater enforcement of the law should do it, with a nod to new technologies to check on the validity of citizenship documents. Piece of cake.

It ain’t even close to that easy.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) estimates the number of illegal or undocumented aliens in the U.S. stands at about 11 million or so, based on 2009 numbers, down from 2008’s nearly 12 million. The reduction is credited to 1 million workers heading home because of the soft U.S. economy and a dearth of jobs. DHS also claims its spending of “unprecedented resources” on illegal immigration is partially responsible. Whatever the reason, some myopic critics demand business cut off the jobs and all undocumented aliens will go home. The other side of the coin is represented by those who point out that millions of illegal immigrants have been in this country for years, are good citizens, hard workers, pay taxes, own homes and ain’t going anywhere any time soon.

While no one defends the current system – it’s actually more of a media horserace for politicos to cast the system as irretrievably broken – the debate generally centers on whether building fences along the U.S.-Mexican border, i.e. “securing the border,” or finding a “path to citizenship” for illegals should be Congress’ priority. The 800-lb. gorilla in the room, the issue no one on Capitol Hill wants to take on directly is this: How do you fashion a modern immigration system that recognizes the hard reality of about 11-plus million undocumented aliens in this country, the vast majority of whom are the workers who keep production agriculture and a big chunk of ag processing humming along?

Bob Stallman, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), appeared with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack this week to call for Congress to get busy on comprehensive immigration reform. Stallman pulled no punches when he said about $5-9 billion a year in U.S. food production and processing is dependent on immigrant workers, with California representing the lion’s share at $3 billion in production reliant upon immigrant labor, “many with fraudulent documents.” Most workers are in the fields producing specialty crops, he said, adding the livestock sector, particularly dairy, is also vulnerable. Another reality identified by Stallman: The jobs being done by immigrant labor are jobs “American workers will not do.” He and Vilsack said current attempts to modernize the system are at best short-term solutions; Vilsack made the case convincingly that reforms needed are so extensive and complex and the federal government so bureaucratic that very little can be done without legislation.

So here’s the conundrum: Preserve a workforce of about 9-10 million illegal immigrants so food production and processing, along with other industry, is not crippled – with an almost guaranteed negative impact on food prices – or capture the illegals and ensure they’re tossed out of the country, the economic and social ramifications be damned.

It won’t be an easy issue, but it’s one where the fundamental approach must be reality, not political philosophy. A “path to citizenship” need not be amnesty for illegal entry, requirements for citizenship and penalties for illegal entry can be fashioned, and the reforms must find the balance of enhanced border security with protecting a vital workforce.

The immigration reform debate must start with a reality check: The reality is agriculture/food processing depends on immigrant labor, legal or illegal, as long as American workers won’t do the work. With food inflation already the highest in nearly a quarter century, now is not the time to exacerbate that trend by gutting agriculture’s worker base.