Grijalva calls for passage of law legalizing farmworkers lacking papers

SAN LUIS, Ariz. — U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva on Friday urged the residents and private enterprise in this area to ask the U.S. Senate to approve “AgJobs” legislation that would give agricultural workers lacking immigration documents a path to legal permanent residency in this nation.

Grijalva, in the area on the second day of two days of meetings with residents and officials in south Yuma County, said the discussion of the legislative proposal could resume in the Senate in September.

Grijalva, whose District 7 includes the county, asserted that the proposal, by ensuring a sufficient labor, is vital to the economic well-being of the agricultural industry in the Yuma area and around the station.

“It's not only an issue in human terms, it's an economic issue,” he said. “It represents the risk of $9 million a year in harvests in Yuma County, and if they don't have the labor force, it's a loss of money. So, if not for the interest of people, at least for the economic interest, this portion of (immigration) reform should pass.”

The AgJobs, introduced in Congress in May 2009, is attached to the Dream Act and other immigration reform proposals that have been debated by lawmakers but not yet approved. The Dream Act would permit students without immigration documents to remain in the country to finish their studies, and would offer them the chance to gain legal status.

“While I wish it were entire reform, possibly in September we will deal with part of it in Congress, but first it has to be approved by the Senate,” Grijalva said.

While AgJobs has the support of chambers of commerce, farmworker unions, growers and religious groups, he added, “we still see elements in this state that are against it, even Democrats.

“I have spoken with farmers, and I have told them they have to take part with lots of energy in speaking with my colleagues, and that they tell them they should pass AgJobs.”

He added the legislation will need 60 votes in the Senate to advance.

“If the Senate moves it, then it will pass through the House of Representatives. The pressure has to be put on the senators of Arizona (John McCain and Jon Kyl), because if it doesn't get 60 votes in the Senate, it dies there.”

The problem, he added, is that “there are lawmakers who are too afraid to do anything. But as long as we do nothing, we will continue to see the poison that came out in Arizona from (Senate Bill) 1070. We are in a very anti-immigrant climate. It is really toxic, and parts of the House of Representatives and the Senate still lack the courage to (pass) immigration reform.”

Grijalva said the need for labor is not being met by the existing H2A program that admits temporary agricultural workers into the country.

“The important point of AgJobs is that it begins the process of legalizing those workers. H2A has never given them that opportunity. Besides, even the growers complain about the program because it take too much time to bring in the workers.

“The proof is that because of the obstacles of H2A, many growers are growing in Mexico. The workers are there, and all they do is send the harvests to the United States. For the Yuma area to lose all that industry would be a very serious economic problem.”