UFW President Arturo S. Rodriguez testifies before Congress urging lawmakers to support bipartisan immigration reform legislation
Washington, DC − President of the United Farm Workers of America Arturo S. Rodriguez is among those testifying Monday before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary during a hearing entitled “The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, S. 744"
The UFW is urging congress to support a comprehensive immigration reform bill introduced by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)
The hearing, which is the first one to be held on the recently submitted legislation, starts at 10 a.m. EST in Room 216 of the Hart Senate Office Building.
The comprehensive immigration reform proposal—including its agricultural provisions negotiated by the United Farm Workers and major grower associations—fulfills the urgent need for an earned legalization program for farm workers and would help stabilize the farm labor workforce through incentives for immigrants to continue working in U.S. agriculture.
“We have worked so hard to come together and we ask the members of this committee to support this proposal because America’s farms and ranches produce an incredible bounty that is the envy of the world. We believe the comprehensive bill and its agricultural provisions will help improve working conditions and job opportunities for farm workers," Rodriguez said.
There are approximately two million women, men, and children who labor on our nation’s farms and ranches across America harvesting our fruits and vegetables and caring for our livestock. At least 600,000 of these Americans are US Citizens or permanent legal residents.
A full version of Rodriguez’s testimony will be available online after the hearing on Monday.