BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) – Business, farming and Republican party groups all pushed their ideas for immigration reform, just ahead of President Barack Obama’s expected announcement on executive action on this issue.

They met in Bakersfield Wednesday morning, and the United Farm Workers Union Foundation also put out their message asking for action.

"We need a smarter immigration system that strengthens America, not one that disrespects and disregards our values and the rule of law," Beatris Espericueta Sanders said. She’s the executive director of the Kern County Farm Bureau, and she was joined at the Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce by several business groups, all urging immigration reform.

It was hosted by the Partnership for a New American Economy, and spokesman Michael Saragosa said he came with a message.

"We want to let Republicans know today that they have the support within the business community, they have support within the community, they have support from other Republicans for them to finish immigration reform," Saragosa told Eyewitness News. He said they’ve been "dancing around" the issue for too long.

Saragosa wants Congress to pass an immigration reform bill and send it to the President, he doesn’t think presidential action is enough.

"This can’t be solved just through executive action," Saragosa said. "It’s a step in the right direction, with being able to get some people here in legal status, but it doesn’t solve the bigger picture of immigration reform."

The group at the Chamber included the chairman of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly, Errol Valladares. His group has goals for immigration reform.

"Securing the border is No. 1," Valladares said, "Then get these people in, get the time-line in, go to the back of the line. But, now they’ve got a clock and they can come out of the shadows," he said.

Valladares wants the immigrants to pay a fine, pay for processing, and he says that’s not amnesty. "It’s not really a form of amnesty, because they’re getting in the back of the line, and following the procedures and protocols that the current immigrants are following."

At the UFW Foundation, Maria Cervantes said she hopes for immigration reform that’s fair. Speaking through an interpreter, she told Eyewitness News her husband and two sons have been deported to Mexico. Cervantes said she does not have documents, and her biggest hope is to become a citizen. Cervantes said she wants to be able to make a contribution to this country.

UFW Foundation Program Director Fatima Hernandez said her group wants to hear what President Obama will do.

"We’re really hopeful it will be beneficial to our farm workers here locally," Hernandez said. "And across the nation, as well."

"We need to attract and retain the workers that our farms, our laboratories, and that our industries across the economy need to compete and that they need to grow," Chamber of Commerce CEO Cindy Pollard said at the meeting in her office. And, she’s not convinced action by the President is the way to go.

"If that’s what it takes — great. But we’d really like to see everybody on the Hill working together to make the change that’s necessary," Pollard said.

From the Republican National Hispanic Assembly, Errol Valladares said the White House had the first couple years of the Obama administration to work on immigration, but the President put his focus on health care reform. 

Valladares wants to see Congressional action.

"The big picture is, let’s get something on the table," he said. "And, let’s get this going.
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