Today, Sept. 9 , at 4 p.m. in Bakersfield
Business, labor and community leaders press Congressman Kevin McCarthy for vote on immigration legislation with path to citizenship
Kern Coalition for Citizenship to release data on comprehensive bill’s economic impact
Bakersfield, CA − As members of the U.S. House of Representatives, including House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, head back to the nation’s Capitol today following the summer recess, the United Farm Workers will join a group of Kern County local business owners, labor unions, civil rights, and community leaders to ensure immigration reform with a path to citizenship is at the top of the congressional legislative agenda this session.
The group, led by the Kern Coalition for Citizenship, is meeting today in Bakersfield for a roundtable discussion on the economic boost that a new immigration process for the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants could have on the local economy, job creation, real estate market and the business sector. The Bakersfield event is one of nine being held across California, where a broad coalition of unusual allies call on house members to “get back to work” on an immigration reform bill.
"The only thing standing on the way of making comprehensive immigration reform a reality is the House Republican leadership refusing to schedule a vote," said UFW spokeswoman Maria Machuca.
Sound immigration reform is a priority for the UFW’s membership, partnered growers and businesses and other supporters who are frustrated over the House’s inaction at the congressional level. The UFW and sister organizations UFW Foundation, Radio Campesina Network and the Cesar Chavez Foundation stepped up efforts during the August recess by meeting with House Republican leadership in their districts urging them to schedule a vote on comprehensive immigration reform. As a member of the Kern Coalition for Citizenship, the farm worker movement has been reaching out to business owners and getting them involved by participating in events and writing to their local representatives.
"We have built broad support from a diverse and bipartisan group of allies. Earlier this year, the UFW and major grower associations reached a landmark agreement that would enable undocumented farm workers who are the backbone of the nation’s agricultural industry to obtain legal immigration status by continuing to work in agriculture. Congressman McCarthy and his party’s leadership have ignored the public call for change thus far and will be solely responsible if meaningful reform doesn’t pass this year," Machuca said.
Who: Mayor Harvey Hall, Cindy Pollard, Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce, Little Caesar’s Pizza, Kern Coalition for Citizenship, Community Trust Credit Union
What: Business and Labor Forum
When: Monday, Sept. 9, at 4 p.m. (3:30 p.m. media availability)
Where: Community Trust Boardroom, 2100 “H” Street, Bakersfield, CA
Other members of the Kern Coalition for Citizenship include (partial list of members) SEIU International, MiFamiliaVota Education Fund, SEIU Local 1000, Communications Workers of America -CWA, CA Partnership, SEIU 521, Dolores Huerta Foundation, CSUB United Now for Immigrant Rights (UNIR), CSUB MECHA, Unidad Popular Benito Juarez (UPBJ), California Faculty Association – Bakersfield Chapter, Heritage of America, G.I. Forum—Kern County Chapter, CHIRLA, and Community Trust Federal Credit Union.
‘Con La Union de Campesinos Tendremos Papeles'(With the United Farm Workers we will get our papers) campaign. To get involved visit our website at www.ufw.org or call a UFW office in your area.
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