Senate passes AgJOBS language, but immigration reform remains uncertain
Senate passes AgJOBS language, but immigration reform remains uncertain
WASHINGTON -- The border could be shut down, making it difficult to maintain the estimated 1 million undocumented agriculture workers in the country, or foreign workers could earn a chance to become U.S. citizens, depending on the immigration reform bill that survives Congress.
"There are two polar opposite approaches to immigration reform before Congress now," said Robert Guenther of the United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association in Washington.
By a vote of 62 to 36, the Senate approved the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006 on May 25 that would secure agriculture workers by revising the H-2A program and providing an earned legalization known as AgJOBS. The bill would tighten security around the borders, require an employer verification system to identify eligible workers and install a new H-2C visa for temporary guest workers.
"The Senate today approved a sweeping overhaul of the nation's immigration laws, which strengthens border security, provides for an agriculture workers program, and a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented workers," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), who helped push for the AgJOBS language in the Senate. But, she added, "it will be an uphill battle to craft a bill that both the House and the Senate can support."
The Senate approved the AgJOBS provisions but not before Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, offered two amendments that would have altered the delicately crafted compromise measure.
While the amendments were defeated, Sen. Chambliss said that reform efforts should focus on the H-2A program, not provide incentives for farmers to hire illegal workers.
"I have also said that amnesty is not in the best interests of agriculture in the United States," he said in a statement to reporters. "We should not repeat the mistakes we made in 1986 because we know from past experience that agricultural workers do not stay in their agricultural jobs for long, especially when they gain a legal status and have the option to work in less back-breaking occupations."
"Our bill responds to these concerns," said American Nursery & Landscape Association's Craig Regelbrugge, a spokesman for the Agriculture Coalition for Immigration Reform. Agriculture workers have to make a significant commitment to work in the industry for three to five years under the plan, which is designed to transition workers into a revamped H-2A program, he said.
It is no secret that the agriculture industry is facing a labor shortage. A report released recently by the U.S. Department of Agriculture said that the number of agriculture workers dipped this year compared to last April, in part due to tight security at the Mexican border and strong competition from higher-paying construction jobs. A 4 percent drop in the number of California agriculture workers was also due to eight weeks of rain and unseasonably cool weather which caused delays.
House and Senate conferees will now need to see if the far-reaching bills can be folded into a compromise measure. A major sticking point is that the Senate bill allows undocumented immigrants who have been in the country for five years or more to apply for citizenship after paying taxes and fines, and those who have been here for two to five years can apply for citizenship at the border. The enforcement-only House bill is silent on the issue, fueled by powerful House Republicans who have pledged never to agree to an "amnesty" program.
Much will depend on whether President Bush has the political capital to craft an agreement, said Mr. Guenther. The White House will need to play a more important role in swaying critics of comprehensive reform. "This is turning into the issue of his second term."
Western Growers Association in Irvine, CA, is telling its members to contact elected leaders about the critical need for the conference committee to include AgJOBs in an immigration reform bill.
The group also told members to use this past congressional recess as "another chance to send the message that our industry, and our country, needs sensible and effective immigration reform," according to an e-mail alert WGA sent to its members.
In the meantime, there is always the possibility that the conference committee will fail to reach a compromise on the heated immigration reform debate and put off the issue until after the mid-term elections. Lawmakers also may weigh the possibility of passing border security first with the promise of relief for agricultural businesses later.
"An enforcement-first bill will be dangerous for agriculture," said Mr. Regelbrugge, who added that agriculture cannot wait two to three years for change.
"There are two polar opposite approaches to immigration reform before Congress now," said Robert Guenther of the United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association in Washington.
By a vote of 62 to 36, the Senate approved the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006 on May 25 that would secure agriculture workers by revising the H-2A program and providing an earned legalization known as AgJOBS. The bill would tighten security around the borders, require an employer verification system to identify eligible workers and install a new H-2C visa for temporary guest workers.
"The Senate today approved a sweeping overhaul of the nation's immigration laws, which strengthens border security, provides for an agriculture workers program, and a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented workers," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), who helped push for the AgJOBS language in the Senate. But, she added, "it will be an uphill battle to craft a bill that both the House and the Senate can support."
The Senate approved the AgJOBS provisions but not before Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, offered two amendments that would have altered the delicately crafted compromise measure.
While the amendments were defeated, Sen. Chambliss said that reform efforts should focus on the H-2A program, not provide incentives for farmers to hire illegal workers.
"I have also said that amnesty is not in the best interests of agriculture in the United States," he said in a statement to reporters. "We should not repeat the mistakes we made in 1986 because we know from past experience that agricultural workers do not stay in their agricultural jobs for long, especially when they gain a legal status and have the option to work in less back-breaking occupations."
"Our bill responds to these concerns," said American Nursery & Landscape Association's Craig Regelbrugge, a spokesman for the Agriculture Coalition for Immigration Reform. Agriculture workers have to make a significant commitment to work in the industry for three to five years under the plan, which is designed to transition workers into a revamped H-2A program, he said.
It is no secret that the agriculture industry is facing a labor shortage. A report released recently by the U.S. Department of Agriculture said that the number of agriculture workers dipped this year compared to last April, in part due to tight security at the Mexican border and strong competition from higher-paying construction jobs. A 4 percent drop in the number of California agriculture workers was also due to eight weeks of rain and unseasonably cool weather which caused delays.
House and Senate conferees will now need to see if the far-reaching bills can be folded into a compromise measure. A major sticking point is that the Senate bill allows undocumented immigrants who have been in the country for five years or more to apply for citizenship after paying taxes and fines, and those who have been here for two to five years can apply for citizenship at the border. The enforcement-only House bill is silent on the issue, fueled by powerful House Republicans who have pledged never to agree to an "amnesty" program.
Much will depend on whether President Bush has the political capital to craft an agreement, said Mr. Guenther. The White House will need to play a more important role in swaying critics of comprehensive reform. "This is turning into the issue of his second term."
Western Growers Association in Irvine, CA, is telling its members to contact elected leaders about the critical need for the conference committee to include AgJOBs in an immigration reform bill.
The group also told members to use this past congressional recess as "another chance to send the message that our industry, and our country, needs sensible and effective immigration reform," according to an e-mail alert WGA sent to its members.
In the meantime, there is always the possibility that the conference committee will fail to reach a compromise on the heated immigration reform debate and put off the issue until after the mid-term elections. Lawmakers also may weigh the possibility of passing border security first with the promise of relief for agricultural businesses later.
"An enforcement-first bill will be dangerous for agriculture," said Mr. Regelbrugge, who added that agriculture cannot wait two to three years for change.
