Farmworker Justice Update on Senate Immigration Deliberation – 02/15/18

Farmworker Justice Update on Senate Immigration Deliberation – 02/15/18

The Senate is currently debating immigration policy proposals to address President Trump’s termination of DACA, which has put Dreamers, some of whom are the children of farmworkers, in limbo and in jeopardy of deportation. Given the urgency of providing a permanent solution for Dreamers, the Senate should focus on a clean DREAM Act. However, the Senate has chosen to undergo an open amendment process and members of Congress have filed a number of amendments on other immigration issues, including border security, family migration and sanctuary cities, among many others.

As of the time of this update, the Senate is reportedly moving forward with votes on four amendments. Two of the proposals are bi-partisan: the “USA Act” introduced by Senators McCain and Coons and the “Immigration Security and Opportunity Act” introduced by Senators Rounds and King. Republican-sponsored amendments include an anti-sanctuary cities amendment from Senator Toomey and Senator Grassley’s “Secure and Succeed Act,” which encompasses the “four pillar” immigration framework recently proposed by President Trump. There is widespread opposition from immigration and labor groups to both Senator Grassley’s and Senator Toomey’s amendments. Many immigration advocates support the McCain-Coons proposal, but the recently introduced Rounds-King amendment has garnered opposition from many immigration advocacy groups, as it provides large amounts of funding for border security, including a border wall, and places restrictions on family migration. Votes on each of the amendments could take place as early as 2:30 p.m. (ET) this afternoon.  You can watch a live feed of the Senate debate here.

Among the many amendments filed, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) submitted a proposed amendment to make harmful changes to the H-2A temporary agricultural worker visa program. Farmworker Justice will continue to monitor the Senate debate as it unfolds, but at this time it appears this amendment will not move forward. The amendment would expand the H-2A program to year-round employment for equine and livestock workers; expand the visa length to 3 years; remove the housing guarantee by allowing employers to substitute a housing voucher for actual housing; expand the ability of employers to apply for H-2A workers jointly without ensuring proper protections for workers; and would reduce recruitment protections for U.S. workers by circumventing the labor market test and reducing government oversight for repeat applications and workers. Senator Paul claims his amendment would streamline the H-2A application process but it does nothing to help farmworkers and in fact would make the situation worse for farmworkers.  Undocumented farmworkers and future farmworkers should be given a path to immigration status, which this amendment does not do.

Of course, despite what happens in the Senate, the House would need to take action before the President considers whether to sign or veto any legislation. There also continues to be pressure from conservative House Republicans to move Rep. Goodlatte’s hard-line anti-immigrant and anti-worker legislation, the “Securing America’s Future Act,” which includes his draconian H-2C guestworker proposal.

Congress should reject any attempts to expand abusive guestworker programs like the H-2A agricultural worker visa program or reduce the limited protections in the program. Congress should also reject the White House’s “four pillar” immigration framework of cuts to family-based immigration and other legal immigration and massive spending on a border wall. The Senate should instead focus its attention on a narrow bipartisan solution that pairs the DREAM Act with effective, smart border security measures.

Farmworker Justice stands with Dreamers.

 

Farmworker Justice Update on Senate Immigration Deliberation – 02/15/18

The Senate is currently debating immigration policy proposals to address President Trump’s termination of DACA, which has put Dreamers, some of whom are the children of farmworkers, in limbo and in jeopardy of deportation. Given the urgency of providing a permanent solution for Dreamers, the Senate should focus on a clean DREAM Act. However, the Senate has chosen to undergo an open amendment process and members of Congress have filed a number of amendments on other immigration issues, including border security, family migration and sanctuary cities, among many others.

As of the time of this update, the Senate is reportedly moving forward with votes on four amendments. Two of the proposals are bi-partisan: the “USA Act” introduced by Senators McCain and Coons and the “Immigration Security and Opportunity Act” introduced by Senators Rounds and King. Republican-sponsored amendments include an anti-sanctuary cities amendment from Senator Toomey and Senator Grassley’s “Secure and Succeed Act,” which encompasses the “four pillar” immigration framework recently proposed by President Trump. There is widespread opposition from immigration and labor groups to both Senator Grassley’s and Senator Toomey’s amendments. Many immigration advocates support the McCain-Coons proposal, but the recently introduced Rounds-King amendment has garnered opposition from many immigration advocacy groups, as it provides large amounts of funding for border security, including a border wall, and places restrictions on family migration. Votes on each of the amendments could take place as early as 2:30 p.m. (ET) this afternoon.  You can watch a live feed of the Senate debate here.

Among the many amendments filed, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) submitted a proposed amendment to make harmful changes to the H-2A temporary agricultural worker visa program. Farmworker Justice will continue to monitor the Senate debate as it unfolds, but at this time it appears this amendment will not move forward. The amendment would expand the H-2A program to year-round employment for equine and livestock workers; expand the visa length to 3 years; remove the housing guarantee by allowing employers to substitute a housing voucher for actual housing; expand the ability of employers to apply for H-2A workers jointly without ensuring proper protections for workers; and would reduce recruitment protections for U.S. workers by circumventing the labor market test and reducing government oversight for repeat applications and workers. Senator Paul claims his amendment would streamline the H-2A application process but it does nothing to help farmworkers and in fact would make the situation worse for farmworkers.  Undocumented farmworkers and future farmworkers should be given a path to immigration status, which this amendment does not do.

Of course, despite what happens in the Senate, the House would need to take action before the President considers whether to sign or veto any legislation. There also continues to be pressure from conservative House Republicans to move Rep. Goodlatte’s hard-line anti-immigrant and anti-worker legislation, the “Securing America’s Future Act,” which includes his draconian H-2C guestworker proposal.

Congress should reject any attempts to expand abusive guestworker programs like the H-2A agricultural worker visa program or reduce the limited protections in the program. Congress should also reject the White House’s “four pillar” immigration framework of cuts to family-based immigration and other legal immigration and massive spending on a border wall. The Senate should instead focus its attention on a narrow bipartisan solution that pairs the DREAM Act with effective, smart border security measures.

Farmworker Justice stands with Dreamers.