Farm worker unions and the Bush heading towards confrontation over immigration
Farm worker unions and the Bush administration are heading rapidly towards confrontation over immigration.
After three years of arm-twisting, unions like the United Farm Workers, Oregon's Union de Pineros and the Ohio-based Farm Labor Organizing Committee finally have a bill in Congress -- called AgJOBS -- that would legalize over 1 million agricultural workers living without visas in the United States. But despite a proclaimed interest in Latino votes, the White House has instead played to its right-wing Republican base by launching a national wave of immigration raids. Some believe that the raids are intended to send a dual message -- placating anti-immigrant voters while threatening mass deportations if immigrant communities resist a huge expansion of guest worker programs. [more]
After three years of arm-twisting, unions like the United Farm Workers, Oregon's Union de Pineros and the Ohio-based Farm Labor Organizing Committee finally have a bill in Congress -- called AgJOBS -- that would legalize over 1 million agricultural workers living without visas in the United States. But despite a proclaimed interest in Latino votes, the White House has instead played to its right-wing Republican base by launching a national wave of immigration raids. Some believe that the raids are intended to send a dual message -- placating anti-immigrant voters while threatening mass deportations if immigrant communities resist a huge expansion of guest worker programs. [more]
- NCLR Slams Senate for Failure to Act on Farmworker Legislation [more]