Local civic leaders, labor and community representatives mark unveiling of comprehensive immigration reform bill
Comprehensive reform bill offers ‘swift’ legalization & new protections while stabilizing workforce
Bakersfield, CA— Community and labor leaders, members of Kern Coalition for Citizenship, will gather at 11 a.m. tomorrow to herald the introduction of historic comprehensive immigration reform legislation.
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 citizenship program that enables 11 million undocumented workers to obtain legal immigration status. It will also stabilize the farm labor workforce through incentives for immigrants to continue working in U.S. agriculture.
While this bipartisan bill is not perfect, it will lead to create a new roadmap to citizenship, it will strengthen our economy, protect families, treat all working families fairly and give DREAMers and agriculture workers an accelerated path to citizenship.
“We believe the comprehensive bill and its compromise farm worker provisions will help improve working conditions and job opportunities for farm workers. We will work with President Obama, our allies in Congress and the immigrant rights community to enact a law this year. The compromise agricultural provisions should boost support for reform,” said UFW President Arturo Rodriguez.
SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry said, "Today’s announcement creates real hope for the vast majority of Americans who think it is time for commonsense immigration reform and for the millions of hardworking families who live every day in fear of being torn apart at any moment. This bill would provide a roadmap to citizenship, protect workers and transform the lives of 11 million aspiring Americans by bringing them out of the shadows so they can fully contribute to our shared future.”
While this bill represents an initial compromise, we are encouraged by this progress and look forward to working with the Senate, the House and the President to making improvements to it on its way to becoming law. Americans are ready for immigration reform. The time is now to get it done.
Who: Erica Lomeli, UFW Foundation Civic Participation and Policy Director, Ernest C. Harris, SEIU Director – Local 521, Camila Chavez, Dolores Huerta Foundation, Dr. Jess G. Nieto, Heritage for America, Maria Salgado, Unidad Popular Benito Juárez, Angélica Orbe, Student that attended DC rally, students and families.
What: Heralding introduction in Washington, D.C. of landmark comprehensive immigration reform legislation and commenting on its farm worker provisions
When: 11am, Thursday, April 18, 2013
Where: Outside U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s Office, 4100 Empire Drive,
Suite 150, Bakersfield
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