On Sunday, join UFW President Arturo Rodriguez, and close to one thousand farm workers, supporters and students as they march through the streets of Oxnard to honor Cesar Chavez and push for immigration reform.
12 noon Sunday in Oxnard’s Colonia
Big turnout of farm workers march for immigration reform and Cesar Chavez in Oxnard as U.S. Senate debates UFW bill
Large numbers of farm workers, supporters and students march through the streets of Oxnard’s Colonia at noon Sunday to honor Cesar Chavez and push for immigration reform as the U.S. Senate debates a bipartisan bill jointly sponsored by the United Farm Workers and growers. Chavez’s March 31 birthday was celebrated as an official state holiday.
Strawberry, mushroom and vegetable workers will join Chavez’s successor, United Farm Workers President Arturo Rodriguez, through the old Latino neighborhood in Oxnard. Then they will gather for a brief rally backing the bipartisan AgJobs bill and comprehensive immigration reform by Sens. John McCain and Edward Kennedy, and opposing H.R. 4437, the anti-immigrant House Republican bill. AgJobs was negotiated by the UFW and the agricultural industry over several years. This is part of nine farm worker events and dozens of other activities organized around the country this week.
Cosponsored by 49 U.S. senators, AgJobs would allow undocumented farm workers already in this country who pass criminal background and national security checks to earn the right to permanently stay in the U.S. by continuing to work in agriculture. The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee approved a proposal on April 27 that reflects AgJobs. It is among the measures being debated by the full Senate.
“Farm workers and their union are demonstrating a consistent commitment to organizing and immigration reform going back more than 40 years,” says UFW President Rodriguez. “Today, that means earning the right to stay in this country by continuing to work feeding America and much of the world through measures such as the AgJobs and McCain-Kennedy comprehensive reform bills.”
Who: A large turn out of farm workers, community supporters and students; UFW President Arturo Rodriguez.
What: March and rally in Oxnard’s Colonia honoring Cesar Chavez and supporting the UFW-sponsored AgJobs immigration reform bill being debated in the U.S. Senate.
When: Begins at 12 noon, Sunday, April 9, 2006.
Where: March begins and ends at Del Sol Park, 1500 Colonia Rd., Oxnard 93030 (corner of Rose Ave. and Camino Del Sol).
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