Casimiro Alvarez, regional director for the United Farm Workers, speaks… (VERN FISHER/The Herald

National and local leaders hailed an immigration reform plan introduced in the Senate on Wednesday that will open up a path to legalization for an estimated 11 million undocumented workers in the United States.

The Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act would allow people who entered the country illegally before Dec. 31, 2011, to get legal status if they meet a slew of conditions. The proposal includes a plan to invest $3 billion into beefing up border security, and changes other aspects of immigration law.

"This is a historic day," said Roman Pinal, coordinator with the United Farm Workers in Salinas. "It’s an opportunity for more than 1 million farmworkers to fix their immigration status. But I believe this agreement will also help with improving working conditions."

The plan has separate categories for agricultural workers and young people who were brought illegally to the United States before they were 16 years old. Each category has a different wait time and different penalties.

Agricultural leaders and UFW representatives worked to reach this agreement, and the result was praised by both camps.

"I’m very pleased," said Jim Bogart, president of the Grower Shipper Association of Central California. "It was good to see in the legislation the Senate introduced a very clear recognition and appreciation of us, ag, and their very specific and serious needs they have with respect to immigration reform."

The proposal includes an agricultural guest worker program, something industry representatives fought fiercely for.

"All of our major needs were addressed and our voice was heard," Bogart said.

Among widespread jubilation, there was also some skepticism.

Daniel Kowalski, immigration attorney and editor of Bender’s Immigration Bulletin, said the plan as is would not grant enough visas to meet future demand for workers.

"It’s better than nothing, but even if they get rid of the backlogs and give a lot of people green cards under this new system, it’s not going to be enough to take care of future flows," he said. "Right away there’s going to be a new backlog building up, and people who don’t qualify will go underground again."

Cesar Lara of the Coalition for Immigration Reform in the Central Coast said having an actual bill is encouraging, even if there are parts of it that still need to be tweaked.

"There’s been a lot of talk since the election about having an actual bill, and it’s going to take more conversations — not just among elected officials but the entire community — to shape a proposal that will take care of 11 million undocumented people in the country and the hundred thousand that live in our tri-county area," Lara said, referring to Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties.

At a press conference at UFW headquarters in Salinas, UFW officials urged the community to be cautious and not fall for scams that typically begin to proliferate once announcements like this are made.

"A program has not been approved yet," said Jesus Valenzuela, spokesman with the UFW. "But you should start gathering your supporting documents now."

Gonzalo Picaso Lopez, a 63-year-old mustard seed harvester, traveled to Washington, D.C., to lobby for the legislation and rally in support of immigration reform. He said he believes the effort has already borne fruit.

"It was a sea of people over there," he said, referring to the rally on April 10 attended by thousands of people in the National Mall.

Lettuce harvester Jose Molina, 40, has lived in the United States since 2005 and said he is glad to hear legislation is finally coming.

"This is excellent," the El Salvador native said in Spanish. "This is great for all the migrant people."

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