WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Luis Gutierrez is expected to introduce a comprehensive immigration reform bill to the U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday, Dec. 15. The Illinois Democrat, who last month outlined a series of core principles he said should be part of a reform immigration bill, will be joined by members of many different faiths and backgrounds, including the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Black Caucus, Asian Pacific American Caucus and Progressive Caucus.
United Farm Workers Foundation Executive Director Diana Tellefson, who will be joining Gutierrez Tuesday in Washington, D.C. for the official introduction of the new legislation, said the unveiling of Gutierrez’s immigration reform plan is a very important first step that kicks off the debate for a comprehensive immigration reform effort.
“We can no longer ignore the millions of undocumented workers who live, work and contribute to this great nation, but who are forced to live in the shadows because of their immigration status,” Tellefson said.
Although complete details were not available as of Monday, Gutierrez’s immigration reform bill is expected to include UFW’s landmark AgJOBS, a farm worker immigration legislation that was negotiated by the union and the nation’s agricultural industry. AgJOBS would give undocumented farm workers presently here the right to earn legal status by continuing to work in agriculture.
AgJOBS enjoys bipartisan and widespread support. Congressman Howard Berman (D-CA), Congressman Adam Putnam (R-FL), and Senator Feinstein are the principal authors. Over 800 organizations, including agricultural employers and all of the major agricultural employer associations, farm workers, the Chamber of Commerce, the Change to Win and AFL-CIO labor federations, the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops, and many others.
“We are pleased that Congressman Gutierrez is including AgJOBS in his legislation. Congressman Gutierrez knows and understands the plight of hundreds of thousands of undocumented farm workers who harvest the fruits and vegetables Americans put on their tables. Ironically, many of these farm workers never know whether they’ll be able to come home to their children and join them for dinner at their table because they are afraid of getting deported,” UFW President Arturo S. Rodriguez said.