Farm workers won a great victory when after more than a decade of hard work and a big nationwide push for humane immigration reform by the United Farm Workers and our allies—including other farm worker organizations from across the country—the Senate Judiciary Committee approved a landmark immigration reform bill, S. 744, on a bipartisan 13-5 vote. The measure includes agricultural provisions negotiated by the UFW and the nation’s major grower associations that would let as many as 1 million undocumented farm workers earn permanent legal status. It would also replace the existing H-2A guest worker program with a new visa program that strengthens protections for both domestic and foreign agricultural workers.
We thank senators from both parties, but especially Sen. Diane Feinstein, who repeatedly led the push back against amendments aimed at making the path to legalization a mirage. The overall legislation is a truly bipartisan effort that calls for a path to citizenship for the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants currently residing in the U.S. In addition to Sen. Feinstein, we also deeply appreciate the work of Sens. Rubio, Bennet and Hatch, who worked on the bill’s agricultural provisions. We look forward to continuing to work with them to get immigration reform through Congress. S. 744 will help so many farm workers realize the dream of one day reuniting with their families as they continue working in the fields without the constant fear of immediate deportation. It would provide professional farm workers temporary legal status and the right to earn permanent legal status by continuing to work in agriculture.
S. 744 is expected to be debated before the full U.S. Senate in June.
Arturo S. Rodriguez, President
United Farm Workers of America