Reform advocates are hailing President Barack Obama’s speech proposing to overhaul the immigration system, saying there are signs something could get done after years of little change.

Obama on Tuesday outlined a plan to reform the country’s immigration laws, which would include a path toward citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants who live in the United States.

Obama’s plan would require undocumented immigrants to pass a background check, pay back taxes and a penalty, and learn English before earning citizenship. The president’s plan would also include stronger sanctions against employers who hire undocumented workers.

Obama’s speech in Las Vegas was delivered the day after a bipartisan group of U.S. senators also put forth an outline to reform the country’s immigration laws. So much movement after so many years of stagnation is lighting up hopes for Central Coast reform advocates.

"It’s the first time it looks like we have a chance to get comprehensive immigration reform," said Cesar Lara, executive director of the Citizenship Project in Salinas. "We don’t have a true bill yet … but this is certainly a step forward."

Jim Bogart, president of the Grower-Shipper Association, has been lobbying for immigration reform for more than a decade, and agrees these are the most promising developments he has seen in years.

"The fact that the policy framework issued yesterday … was by a bipartisan group of senators is very important," he said.

In the last year or so, Central Coast growers have suffered from a shortage of workers, which Bogart attributes to a combination of factors, including increased border security, which reduces the number of people who can cross to the United States illegally.

"You also have a Department of Labor that has really taken enforcement to high levels," Bogart said. "We’re feeling the squeeze from different sides."

Agricultural labor is heavily dependent on undocumented workers, with some estimates pegging at 80 percent the share of workers in the fields who do not have proper permits to work in the country.

What was encouraging for Bogart was specific mention of field workers in the senators’ proposal. The coalition wants to treat farm workers differently because of "the role they play in ensuring that Americans have safe and secure agricultural products."

"It’s clear that agricultural voice was heard and I was very happy to see that," Bogart said.

Arturo Rodriguez, president of the United Farm Workers, was also happy to hear language that specifically addresses farmworkers’ needs. But he also knows there’s hurdles ahead.

"This is the beginning," he said. "There are lots of issues about temporary workers that need to be worked out to make sure they’re protected, and that they’re not displacing the workers here."

Rep. Sam Farr, D-Carmel, vowed to be looking out for local interests as the process moves along.

"Any immigration package that comes out of Washington must provide farmers, ranchers and agricultural producers here in California with a legal, stable workforce. As we work together in Washington to address this problem, I will make sure that this is a priority in the debate," he said in a statement.

The immigration debate is an emotional one, and opponents of legalizing undocumented immigrants are already lining up. Numbers USA, a group that wants to see immigration reduced, called both proposals "amnesty," a definition that’s considered tainted in immigration discourse.

"Unfortunately the race to out-amnesty one another just got a new contender as President Obama announced his support for an even more wide-reaching amnesty," said Anne Manetas, deputy director of NumbersUSA in a blog post. "As all-encompassing as the Gang of Eight amnesty proposal is, President Obama’s proposal goes even further."

The country is weeks away from getting actual legislation, and in the meantime, immigration attorney Dan Kowalski said the most important element of this reform will be how many immigrants it legalizes.

"It’s all about numbers, about how many people are eligible," he said. "If you don’t make the reform big enough, if you don’t allow enough people to participate, you create a new problem. It may pass, but when it hits the ground it won’t solve the problem."

Claudia Meléndez Salinas can be reached at 753-6755 or cmelendez@montereyherald.com.