Senator Dianne Feinstein finally steps up for immigrants and farmers
Washington, DC.,_ Senator Dianne Feinstein is a powerful elected official who has seldom used her power to stand up for anyone or anything controversial. She champions any and all environmental causes but for many years has been decidedly circumspect on standing too close to immigrant workers in her state which has the greatest number of undocumented workers and whose economy relies on them as much as any state.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that she is teaming with Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren of San Jose to sponsor legislation to support importation of low end wage farm workers and high end engineers and scientists for Silicon Valley. Feinstein’s attachment is somehow part of an Iraq spending bill with a goal of addressing the shortage of farm workers amidst ICE crackdowns and raids. LEL believes Feinstein has not been out front on many or most Latino issues and with a son-in-law born in Mexico should be far more understanding and pro active on issues and situations facing immigrants today.
She now gets it when it comes to agricultural worker needs and said, “If you can’t get people to prune, to plant, to pick, to pack, you can’t farm.” She could go on describing every other occupation or “job Americans won’t do.” Her call for 1.3 million farm workers to be given temporary legal status is good but far superior would be her support and passion for passing legislation tht includes a path to citizenship for those who make the American economy go.
Very good post!
You are right. Feinstein is determined to address the emergency situation we currently have in the AgJobs industry. Last year 13,280 US farms shut down. Many farmers have moved their operations to Mexico. We need a solution.
The other side uses the tired old excuse “amnesty” but this is not an amnesty bill. It is evident in the legislation.
Roy Beck, NumbersUSA and his puppets will try as they might to stop this bill but he is not going to fool Congress or the American Public this time!
I wrote about this on my blog.