Washington, DC—NCLR (National Council of La Raza), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., praised the reintroduction of the “Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits, and Security Act” (AgJOBS) by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D–CA) and Representatives Adam Putnam (R–FL) and Howard Berman (D–CA).  This bipartisan legislation would provide a path for immigrant farmworkers who meet certain requirements to earn citizenship and would bring much-needed reforms to the agricultural guestworker program. 

“NCLR has been a longtime supporter of ‘AgJOBS’ and sees the reintroduction as a step forward in developing a workable and humane immigration system,” said Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO.  “Latinos make up the overwhelming majority of the hired crop labor force in the United States.  This legislation would ensure that agricultural workers, who help put food on tables throughout this nation, are treated humanely and can bargain for decent working conditions.”

The “AgJOBS” bill is the result of congressional negotiations and an historic compromise between the United Farm Workers and major agribusiness employers.  “AgJOBS” would provide a legal, stable labor supply, offering undocumented farmworkers the chance to earn legal immigration status by meeting a past-work requirement in American agriculture and through stringent future agricultural work regulations.  The ability to legalize one’s immigration status is instrumental to enabling farmworkers to bargain for better working and living conditions.  “AgJOBS” also would revise the H-2A agricultural guestworker program in a balanced manner, creating just and workable opportunities for farmworkers and reasonable solutions for all sides of this debate. 

“NCLR thanks Senator Feinstein and Representatives Putnam and Berman for their leadership.  ‘AgJOBS’ addresses the abuse and exploitation that have long plagued the agricultural sector and is a step toward strengthening worker conditions and leveling the playing field for the benefit of all workers,” Murguía concluded.

For more information, visit www.nclr.org.

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