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Farmworker Justice Immigration Update 3/28/14

Must-see Chavez Film Opens Today 

The new must-see film about Cesar Chavez, “Cesar Chavez: History is Made One Step at a Time” opens tomorrow, March 27, 2014. The film portrays Cesar Chavez’s organizing campaign in California’s grape fields, highlighting the poor wages, working conditions and ill treatment of the farmworkers who harvest our food. If you don’t believe me that you should see the film, renowned film producer, Harvey Weinstein, also says that everyone should see it.

The film also shows how undocumented farmworkers were intentionally brought into the U.S. to work in the fields. As Congress contemplates immigration reform legislation, the film serves as a timely reminder of how difficult life and work are for today’s farmworkers, the majority of whom are undocumented. Congress should pass comprehensive immigration reform legislation that provides a path to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants, including farmworkers and their families. The legislation must also include the agricultural stakeholder agreement that provides an earned legalization program for farmworkers with a path to citizenship as well as a new visa program that would end or weaken certain longstanding H-2A labor protections but would also provide important new rights for agricultural visa workers. Nine months have passed since the Senate passed immigration reform legislation. The time is now for the House to act. For its part, the Obama Administration must take action to end the devastation of its deportation and enforcement policies on families, workers and communities across the country. 

The film’s release comes the weekend before the anniversary of Cesar Chavez’s birthday on Monday. Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), the son of a former farmworker, this week reintroduced a resolution to have March 31st recognized nationally as Cesar Chavez Day in honor of Chavez’s accomplishments. Senator Menendez has filed similar resolutions in the Senate for the past eight years. 

Farmworker Justice’s statement on the House’s initiation of a discharge petition to force H.R. 15 to the floor for a vote is available here.

Must-see Chavez Film Opens Today 

The new must-see film about Cesar Chavez, “Cesar Chavez: History is Made One Step at a Time” opens tomorrow, March 27, 2014. The film portrays Cesar Chavez’s organizing campaign in California’s grape fields, highlighting the poor wages, working conditions and ill treatment of the farmworkers who harvest our food. If you don’t believe me that you should see the film, renowned film producer, Harvey Weinstein, also says that everyone should see it.

The film also shows how undocumented farmworkers were intentionally brought into the U.S. to work in the fields. As Congress contemplates immigration reform legislation, the film serves as a timely reminder of how difficult life and work are for today’s farmworkers, the majority of whom are undocumented. Congress should pass comprehensive immigration reform legislation that provides a path to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants, including farmworkers and their families. The legislation must also include the agricultural stakeholder agreement that provides an earned legalization program for farmworkers with a path to citizenship as well as a new visa program that would end or weaken certain longstanding H-2A labor protections but would also provide important new rights for agricultural visa workers. Nine months have passed since the Senate passed immigration reform legislation. The time is now for the House to act. For its part, the Obama Administration must take action to end the devastation of its deportation and enforcement policies on families, workers and communities across the country. 

The film’s release comes the weekend before the anniversary of Cesar Chavez’s birthday on Monday. Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), the son of a former farmworker, this week reintroduced a resolution to have March 31st recognized nationally as Cesar Chavez Day in honor of Chavez’s accomplishments. Senator Menendez has filed similar resolutions in the Senate for the past eight years. 

Farmworker Justice’s statement on the House’s initiation of a discharge petition to force H.R. 15 to the floor for a vote is available here.