YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC October 12, 2005
Gregoire pushes AgJobs with growers and workers in Yakima
Gov. Christine Gregoire urged Tuesday swift congressional approval of the federal AgJobs immigration bill, saying agriculture in the state will be on the brink of crisis without it. "If we're not careful in the state of Washington, we'll deal ourselves out of the game," Gregoire said at a news conference at the Washington State Fruit Commission. With representatives from a grower's group and a farm- "Washington state is known internationally for the finest quality agriculture products," said Gregoire, who recently returned from trade missions to China and Europe. "We cannot maintain that quality without our growers and workers." AgJobs is one of several immigration bills pending in Congress, but backers say it's the only one that solves the labor issue and enjoys significant bipartisan support. The bill has support from 62 senators but has stalled in Congress since April, when Senate Republican Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee blocked a debate. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said she thinks AgJobs would pass if Frist would allow a floor vote. "Of great importance to our growers, AgJobs cuts cumbersome paperwork requirements and speeds the approval process through the U.S. Department of Labor. I encourage Congress and our president to pass AgJobs and do it promptly," Gregoire said. The measure gives workers a pathway to legal residency while continuing to work the country's harvests. There are 50,000 farm workers in the state. At least 50 percent of them, and possibly as many as 80 percent, are estimated to be illegal. Growers say they are increasingly concerned about immigration crackdowns on illegal workers. They also say demographic changes, such as a desire on the part of younger workers to go to college, are depleting the traditional supply of farm workers. To apply for a special visa under AgJobs, farm workers would have to document that they worked 100 days for specific agricultural employers in an 18-month period. They would also have to stay in agriculture for another 360 days over the next six years to be eligible for legal status. They would be subject to criminal background checks. AgJobs would also reform the existing guest-worker program, known as H-2A, to make it easier to use. "I believe in H-2A when it's done properly, but it's not the solution to the issues we're facing today," said Gregoire, whose administration recently settled labor-law violations with a Los Angeles-based farm labor contractor using the program in the state. The formal name of the pending legislation is the Agricultural Job Opportunity, Benefits, and Security Act and its lead sponsor is Sen. Larry Craig, a Republican from Idaho. Some groups say the measure is too much like an amnesty program for undocumented workers. But Mike Gempler, executive director of the Washington Growers League of Yakima, said a policy of enforcement — deportation — doesn't address agriculture's problem. "Enforcement only, without visa reform, will be economically ruinous," said Gempler, who appeared with Gregoire. Also at the news conference was Erik Nicholson, regional director of the United Farm Workers union. He said AgJobs would recognize that farm workers here for many years have contributed to the local economy. "They're paid to be part of the economic picture, but they have no viable way to gain legal status despite the fact their children go to school with us and they go to church with us," he said.
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