WASHINGTON, D.C.
January 11, 2007 6:44am
The U.S. Senate has begun action on a measure opening the nation’s borders to temporary agriculture workers.
Dubbed the “AgJobs” bill, the measure has bi-partisan support. It is co-authored by California U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, both Democrats. Republicans George Voinovich of Ohio and Larry Craig of Idaho are also co-authors.
The AgJobs bill would create a pilot program to identify undocumented agricultural workers and legalize the immigration status for those who have been working in the United States for the past two years or more.
The second part would create a more usable H-2A visa program to implement a “realistic and effective” guest worker program, Ms. Feinstein says.
"Today, many American farmers are on a precipice. And whether they survive to plant another season is determined largely on one simple question: will there be enough workers to bring in the harvest?” says Ms. Feinstein. “There are plenty of people willing and able to do the work. And these workers deserve to be treated with dignity and respect."
California is the single largest agriculture state in the nation with over $34 billion in annual revenue and approximately 76,500 farms.
Approximately one million undocumented workers harvest the crops in California each year, with as much as 90 percent of the farm labor payroll made up by undocumented workers, according to Ms. Feinstein’s office.
In 2006, growers in California reported that their harvesting crews were down by as much as 20 percent, the senator’s office says.
"The costs are in the stratosphere: if the labor shortage continues, it means $3 billion a year in the short term and as much as $4.1 billion a year in the long-term. Just in California," says Ms. Feinstein.
A summary of the bill:
Undocumented agriculture workers would be eligible for a “blue card” if they can demonstrate having worked in American agriculture for at least 150 work days over the previous two years.
The blue card would entitle the worker to a temporary legal resident status. The total number of blue cards would be capped at 1.5 million over a five-year period, and the program would sunset after five years.
Blue card holders would be allowed to travel in and out of the United States.
The spouses and minor children of blue card workers would be eligible to apply for a blue card if they already live in the United States. This would permit them to work and travel.
Blue card holders would be allowed to work in other, non-agriculture jobs as long as the agriculture work requirements are met.
The blue card holder would be required to work in American agriculture for an additional three years (working at least 150 work days per year) or five years (working at least 100 work days per year), before becoming eligible to apply for a green card to become a permanent legal resident.
Before applying for a green card, participants would be required to pay a fine of $500, show that they are current on their taxes, and show that they have not been convicted of any crime that involves bodily injury, the threat of serious bodily injury, or harm to property in excess of $500.
The H2-A Program would be modified so that it responds to agriculture needs.
Western Growers, an Irvine-based agricultural trade group, says it supports the bill, calling it a “golden opportunity to demonstrate progress on immigration reform with legislation that has been broadly supported by a wide coalition of legislators and advocates.”
