Immigration Reform

AgJOBS SUMMARY:

The bipartisan AgJOBS bill was reintroduced on January 10, 2007 in both the U.S. Senate and House. This historic bill would allow for undocumented farm workers to earn the right to permanently stay in this country by continuing to work in agriculture for about 3-5 years. In order to be eligible for temporary legal status, a farm worker will need to perform agricultural employment in the United States for 150 work days during the 24-month period ending on December 31, 2006. This year, AgJOBS would provide legal status to spouses and children of eligible farm workers.

Negotiated for seven years between the United Farm Workers and the agricultural industry, AgJOBS has been endorsed by more than 800 organizations, including business, labor, religious, and Latino and immigrant rights group.     

Principal Authors are U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Larry Craig (R-ID), Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA), and U.S. Representatives Howard Berman (D-CA) and Chris Cannon (R-UT).

Update

As you may know by now--AgJOBS, the United Farm Workers sponsored farm worker legalization bill, was not attached to the Farm Bill. There is still a chance for farm workers & their families to get legislative relief.  Senator Feinstein (CA) is committed to moving AgJOBS in whatever way that she can this year or at the beginning of 2008.

Download:
Statement of Senator Feinstein on her decision not to offer AgJOBS as amendment to Farm Bill

AgJOBS Editorials:
Terreno fértil para los trabajadores agrícolas – La Opinion, 07/24/07
Cabildean en Washington en apoyo a medida AgJOBS – La Opinion, 10/05/07
Protecting Farm Workers - NY Times, 10/14/07

October 2007

Washington, D.C.

Farmworkers are not giving up! Approximately 100 farmworkers traveled to DC in October to lobby for AgJOBS (Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits and Security Act).  Led by the UFW Foundation, farmworkers representing organizations from all over the country converged to share their experiences about the urgent need for AgJOBS.

The participating organizations included Farmworker Justice, the Farm Labor Organizing Committee, PCUN (Oregon), CATA of Pennsylvania/New Jersey, CITA of New York, the National Farm Worker Ministry, the Florida Association of Farmworkers, the Idaho Community Action Network, and the Rural & Migrant Ministry – NY.

August 2007

The month of August was an intense time where farm workers visited their local Congressional Members.

The Message: “Protect America’s food supply, bring farm workers out of the shadows, and strengthen our agricultural industry”. 

The Ask: Ask Congressional Members to become CHAMPIONS of AgJOBS by signing a pledge form to help coordinate legislative meetings with their colleagues in D.C. during the month of October and help pass AgJOBS this year.

In California, the UFW Foundation led numerous groups of farmworkers and visited 20 Congressional offices, and met with 11 members.

June 2007

Farm Workers Join Senators Kennedy and Feinstein to Show Broad Support for AgJOBS Immigration Reform

Farm worker leaders and farm workers nationwide travel to D.C. to say “real fruit requires real people”

On Thursday, June 21, 2007, the UFW Foundation and a coalition of farm worker organizations brought 50 farmworkers from 15 states to cosponsor a press conference about the need for the passage of AgJOBS.  The speakers included Arturo Rodriguez, President of the United Farm Workers; Mirna Vasquez, a farmworker from Porterville, California; and Baldemar Velasquez, President of FLOC.  

During this visit farm workers had the opportunity to meet with two Champions of AgJOBS, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA).  Farm workers also visited other Senate offices. During their visits they carried both plastic fruit to make the point that real fruit requires the work of real people.