Thread: Arnold: State aid to CA farmworkers to include illegals

Freeze hurts citrus workers; aid promised by governor

Mercury News

Thousands of fruit-pickers, packers, truckers and other agricultural workers are facing months of unemployment because of the billion-dollar cold snap that destroyed much of California's citrus crop in recent days.

And even though Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and other officials have vowed to provide emergency assistance for workers and their families, they acknowledged Thursday that many won't be eligible for cash unemployment benefits because of their immigration status.

``The weeks and months to come are going to be filled with a lot of human suffering,'' warned Marc Grossman, a spokesman for the United Farm Workers union, who said recent trends in agriculture and immigration have led illegal immigrants to make up a majority of the citrus workforce.

While estimates vary, at least 12,000 workers are likely to be affected. Fresno County Supervisor Judy Case said she doesn't know how many are undocumented.

``The effects of the freeze are going to be pretty widespread,'' she said. ``The farmers have been hurt, and so have the pickers and packing house employees. When they find themselves without jobs, they're still going to have mortgages or rent to pay.''

Some farms in the Central Valley are already laying off workers.

``All of my sisters-in-law, my mother-in-law and my brother-in-law just got laid off from the packing sheds,'' ranch hand Valentino Mexicano told the Associated Press. ``People are just going to be looking for little jobs to survive because the bills won't wait.''

During a visit to one Fresno-area citrus farm, Schwarzenegger pledged Tuesday that his administration will provide aid to ``not only help the farmers but also the workers, because they're also suffering.''

When asked if undocumented workers would get assistance, Schwarzenegger said, ``Absolutely. Everyone will get help.'' He added, ``We are not here collecting immigration statuses.''

State officials later clarified that unemployment insurance benefits can only be paid to those who show proof they are eligible to work in the United States, under federal rules. Those benefits can provide up to $450 a week for 26 weeks.

But they said the state Department of Social Services and other agencies will work with counties and non-profit groups to assist workers, regardless of their immigration status, by providing emergency food, shelter, job training and help with their utility bills. Food stamps also will be available to eligible families with children, including those of undocumented workers.

Schwarzenegger recently drew some criticism when he unveiled a proposal for statewide health insurance that would include undocumented families. But the UFW's Grossman praised the governor for doing what he can to help the citrus workers.

``He's not to blame'' for the federal rules, Grossman said of the governor, ``but it underscores the need'' for legislation that would allow undocumented workers to earn legal status. That was an element of the immigration reform bill passed by the U.S. Senate last year; the bill stalled after opponents argued it would reward people who broke the law.

Citrus crops provide winter work for many immigrants who work in other agricultural sectors during the rest of the year, according to Grossman. He said many workers who used to be seasonal immigrants now stay in the United States year round, with their families, because it's become more difficult to move back and forth across the Mexican border.

Officials said the full impact of the freeze won't be known for several weeks, as work in the citrus orchards and packing plants dries up.

Strawberries and other crops are also affected. And while the impact has been less severe in coastal areas such as Monterey County, officials there said hundreds of people could find themselves temporarily out of work because of damage to artichokes, grapes and other commodities.

remember the big confrence that arnold and Veragosa attended in L A for La Raza JUST BEFORE THE ELECTION.
That guy is a sell out!
what better time for all the farmers that are here illegally to go back to Mexico or move on out of our state that has more than any other.
This Arnold with his slick talk about insurance will have to bring that infront of the ASSEMBLEY AND I BET IT WILL NOT PASS we dont have the money! what if a BIG EARTHQUAKE HAPPENED
WHAT A IDIOT HE IS!

``The weeks and months to come are going to be filled with a lot of human suffering,'' warned Marc Grossman, a spokesman for the United Farm Workers union, who said recent trends in agriculture and immigration have led illegal immigrants to make up a majority of the citrus workforce.

Question, if a majority of the citrus workers are illegals, why hasn't ICE been raiding the citrus farms?

But they said the state Department of Social Services and other agencies will work with counties and non-profit groups to assist workers, regardless of their immigration status, by providing emergency food, shelter, job training and help with their utility bills. Food stamps also will be available to eligible families with children, including those of undocumented workers.

Job training? So now we're going to train illegal immigrant farm workers to do something else? The farming industry whines about not having enough farm workers and now Arnold wants to trains the ones they do have for other jobs. That just doesn't make any sense to me.

I have a question for you California ALIPAC members. Are the taxpaying citizens of California up in arms over this development? What about the talk radio programs, are they making an issue of this?

Since illegals aren't suppose to be here in the first place, how does Arnold justify his actions?

WE HAVE SO MANY FELONS AND TERRIBLE PEOPLE HERE IN OUR NATION. THEY ARE GOING FOR THOSE GUYS FIRST. AND OF COURSE THE BIG EMPLOYERS ARE BEGINNING TO GET HIT JUST KEEP THE HEAT UP.
I LOV WEHIREALIENS.COM!! FUN FUN FUN! WRITE THE EMPLOYER AND ICE AT THE SAME TIME FREE. IT DOESNT GET ANY BETTER THAN THAT!
REPORT EMPLOYERS YEAH BABY!
CALL THE GOV AN TELL HIM WHAT YOU JUST SAID ABOUT 100 TIMES AND GET ALL YOUR EMAIL LIST TO DO THE SAME EMAIL FAX DO WHAT YOU DO T TO DO.