PALM BEACH POST

June 28, 2007

Immigration bill's collapse may hit state's ag hard

By John Lantigua, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

In Florida, government officials, agricultural employers and farmworker advocates were disappointed and frustrated by the failure of the Congress to come to an agreement. All had worked for passage of the bill.

"Nothing has changed," said Attorney Rob Williams of the Migrant Farmworker Justice Project in Tallahassee, who has worked seven years for immigration reform. "We still have 12 million undocumented people. The problem is still here. People will make wake up tomorrow and realize nothing has been done about it."

Lisa Lochridge, a spokesperson for the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association based in Maitland also expressed concern.

"Because reform has failed, no grower who produces a labor-intensive crop such as blueberries and strawberries can be sure they'll have enough workers come harvest time," she said. "That's a very real, grim possibility."

She said the bill's demise means trouble and not just for growers.

"This is also a huge issue for the hospitality and construction industries in Florida," she said.

It is estimated that some 100,000 to 120,000 undocumented migrant workers labor in Florida agriculture every year and as many as three times that number in other jobs, particularly the hospitality and building trades.

Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles Bronson, who had also lobbied hard for the bill, was traveling Thursday and unavailable for comment.

"But I'm sure the commissioner is disappointed," said his spokesman, Terry McElroy. "He was ardent in his support of the bill."

Sen Diane Feinstein , D-Calif., said Thursday she planned to try to pass, as soon as next month, a smaller version of the bill, called Ag-Jobs, which would legalize about 1 million undocumented agricultural workers across the U.S. Ag-Jobs has had much more bipartisan support than other aspects of the comprehensive immigration bill.

It was unclear just how the defeat Thursday might affect the possibility of passing Ag-Jobs, which would have great impact on Florida. While matters looked bleak, Williams and Lochridge hadn't given up all hope

"And I know Commissioner Bronson will continue to work toward passage of Ag-Jobs," McElroy said.