Thread: Grijalva: Pass Law Legalizing Farmworkers Lacking Papers

Grijalva calls for passage of law legalizing farmworkers lacking papers
Comments 93
August 21, 2010 2:13 PM
BY CESAR NEYOY - BAJO EL SOL

SAN LUIS, Ariz. — U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva on Friday urged the residents and private enterprise in this area to ask the U.S. Senate to approve “AgJobs” legislation that would give agricultural workers lacking immigration documents a path to legal permanent residency in this nation.

Grijalva, in the area on the second day of two days of meetings with residents and officials in south Yuma County, said the discussion of the legislative proposal could resume in the Senate in September.

Grijalva, whose District 7 includes the county, asserted that the proposal, by ensuring a sufficient labor, is vital to the economic well-being of the agricultural industry in the Yuma area and around the station.

“It's not only an issue in human terms, it's an economic issue,” he said. “It represents the risk of $9 million a year in harvests in Yuma County, and if they don't have the labor force, it's a loss of money. So, if not for the interest of people, at least for the economic interest, this portion of (immigration) reform should pass.”

The AgJobs, introduced in Congress in May 2009, is attached to the Dream Act and other immigration reform proposals that have been debated by lawmakers but not yet approved. The Dream Act would permit students without immigration documents to remain in the country to finish their studies, and would offer them the chance to gain legal status.

“While I wish it were entire reform, possibly in September we will deal with part of it in Congress, but first it has to be approved by the Senate,” Grijalva said.

While AgJobs has the support of chambers of commerce, farmworker unions, growers and religious groups, he added, “we still see elements in this state that are against it, even Democrats.

“I have spoken with farmers, and I have told them they have to take part with lots of energy in speaking with my colleagues, and that they tell them they should pass AgJobs.”

He added the legislation will need 60 votes in the Senate to advance.

“If the Senate moves it, then it will pass through the House of Representatives. The pressure has to be put on the senators of Arizona (John McCain and Jon Kyl), because if it doesn't get 60 votes in the Senate, it dies there.”

The problem, he added, is that “there are lawmakers who are too afraid to do anything. But as long as we do nothing, we will continue to see the poison that came out in Arizona from (Senate Bill) 1070. We are in a very anti-immigrant climate. It is really toxic, and parts of the House of Representatives and the Senate still lack the courage to (pass) immigration reform.”

Grijalva said the need for labor is not being met by the existing H2A program that admits temporary agricultural workers into the country.

“The important point of AgJobs is that it begins the process of legalizing those workers. H2A has never given them that opportunity. Besides, even the growers complain about the program because it take too much time to bring in the workers.

“The proof is that because of the obstacles of H2A, many growers are growing in Mexico. The workers are there, and all they do is send the harvests to the United States. For the Yuma area to lose all that industry would be a very serious economic problem.”


source: http://www.yumasun.com/articles/sena...a-workers.html

The Dreamers are all excited since they say Fienstein will join forces with Durbin to try to pass the AG & Dream Act in one Bill in Sept.

They don't have the votes to pass either on their own but by combining the 2 they hope enough Repubs will vote to pass them both.

Sounds like Political Suicide to me but who knows ??? Since our Congress is full of nuts anything is possible these days.

I don't think so stay home we have no jobs the President don't want you only for the vote & then he will say thank for your vote & he will give you shit just Like he give The American

Canada's Successful Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP)

Please consider petitioning your congressional representatives to reform our H-2A Temporary Workers in Agriculture program along the lines of Canada's Seasonal Agricultural Workers Porgram (SAWP) - link below - which evidently has worked successfully for decades!

Under SAWP, the Canadian government contracts directly with other foreign governments, primarily that of Mexico, for seasonal agricultural workers. The foreign governments themselves select the seasonal workers from their country who will participate in the program each year. Canada inspects the operations of the farmers before they certify them as qualified employers, and guarantees all the workers' labor rights and full payment of their wages in Canada. At the end of their employment, all the seasonal agricultural workers are transported directly back to their home countries. (by Air Canada, I think). Both Canadian planter/growers and the workers themselves are satisfied with the SAWP program, and the question of giving such workers resident status in Canada plays no part of it.

http://www.rhdcc-hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/workpl ... _tfw.shtml

Encouraging:
More Agricultural Entities Using H-2A Guestworker Program
http://www.numbersusa.com/content/news/ ... 2a-gu.html

My wonderful Congressman...he only has one agenda and it isn't the American people.

There are already a multitude of programs available for bringing foreign workers into the U.S. for temporary labor.

How about If we pass a law to DEPORT this Idiot to the South Pole.... just leave him with some sled dogs,a GPS , and of course a sled

ALIPAC 2010 Candidate Survey

The Arizona Primary is Tuesday August 24th.

Here are the candidates in the primary seeking to run against Grijalva in the General Election come November

Ruth McClung http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-209340.html

Joseph Sweeney http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-209012.html

Robert Wilson http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-208890.html

The Dream Act is a back door chain migration amnesty for the illegals already here and the rest of the extended families that haven't come yet.
Durbin is the primary supporter of the Dream Act. Perhaps he should know what people other than his pet illegals have to say about it.
For anyone interested:

WASHINGTON, D.C.
309 Hart Senate Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
9 am to 6 pm
(202) 224-2152 - ph
(202) 228-0400 - fx

CHICAGO
230 S Dearborn St.
Suite 3892
Chicago, IL 60604
8:30 am to 5 pm
(312) 353-4952 - ph
(312) 353-0150 - fx

SPRINGFIELD
525 South 8th St.
Springfield, IL 62703
8:30 am to 5 pm
(217) 492-4062 - ph
(217) 492-4382 - fx

CARBONDALE
250 W. Cherry Street
Suite 115-D
Carbondale, IL 62901
8:30 am to 5 pm
(61 351-1122 - ph
(61 351-1124 - fx

Privacy Policy

We are in a very anti-immigrant climate.

Most people are not anti-immigrant.

In Sept they will do their best to pass the Dream Act and an AGJobs bill, need those potential future Democrat voters.