California has more unauthorized immigrants than any other state, about 2.6 million of the nation’s 11 million; they make up 7 percent of the total California population and 9 percent of the state’s labor force says a July 2011 Public Policy Institute of California study. The report estimates that Tulare County as of 2008 had about 29,000 undocumented people or just under 7% of the population.
Now a bipartisan immigration reform plan gaining support in Congress could change their status this year. Farm leaders like Manual Cunha says leadership in the Senate led by Democrats Chuck Schumer and Dianne Feinstein and the GOP’s Marco Rubio of Florida point “in the most positive direction I’ve seen in years.” Not only is President Obama made a commitment, “The time is now.” he offered in a Nevada speech,but the House GOP leadership including the Valley’s Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield may be “ready to deal” says Cunha.
Cunha points to leadership by GOP’s rising star Marco Rubio from a farm state who has come to understand the time is right.”I think the country’s taking a much bigger risk by not doing anything,” Rubio observed in the past few days.
This week Tulare County congressman Devin Nunes chimed in. “Our immigration system is broken and needs to be overhauled from top to bottom. We need reform that both secures the border and ends the unacceptable status quo, in which there are millions of people living and working in the shadows. If the Senate bill accomplishes those two goals, it will be a good starting point for discussion.”
The outlines of a plan include a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, a streamlined legal immigration system, better enforcement and tighter border security.
Cunha predicts a bill will be launched in the Senate and get to the House by April and on to the President’s desk by June.
The stars seem to be aligned between traditional rivals like the California grower community and the UFW as well on the major points of legislation.
“We thank this bipartisan group of Republicans and Democrats for understanding that a roadmap to citizenship is essential to any immigration reform plan. We also endorse the proposal’s commitment to strong labor protections as part of any future flow program and allowing temporary workers who have worked in this country for many years to earn green cards,” said UFW’s Arturo S. Rodriguez recently.
Cunha says immigrants who have been living here for years will be able to gain legal status and not worry they or their families will be suddenly hauled away. Instead, they would be able to enter the US legally and safely without being exploited by ‘coyotes’ or put in danger by the drug cartel. For farmers worried again this year about worker shortages “we will finally get a legal workforce and not live in fear of government audits” adds Cunha.
“It’s not just bad for [undocumented workers], it’s bad for the entire economy, because all the businesses that are trying to do the right thing that are hiring people legally…” said Obama in his speech in Nevada this week.
Both Farm Bureau and Western Growers have expressed support for the framework which will also includes a foreign workers (guest worker) plan.
So what changed? Cunha says “it is simple – the election results” have pushed more Republicans to look at the problem in a new way. In the past a majority of GOP have emphasized what their 2012 party platform said opposing “any form of amnesty” for people who intentionally violate immigration law, saying amnesty “rewards and encourages more law breaking.”
The LA Times reported this week that 4 GOP state legislators have announced support as well including Katcho Achadjian (R-San Luis Obispo).