By now, most people know that comedian Stephen Colbert and United Farm Workers President Arturo S. Rodriguez testified before a House subcommittee on Friday about the plight of migrant workers.It would be easy to laugh off that part of the hearing - dubbed "Protecting American's Harvest" - as a publicity stunt for "The Colbert Report," which airs on Comedy Central.
It clearly is partly that, but behind the chuckles, there are some serious issues. Among them:
According to the National Agricultural Workers Survey, conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor, the average farm worker earned between $10,000 and $12,499 a year in 2000 and 2001. That means slightly less than a third of these laborers lived in poverty.
Slightly more than half were illegal immigrants although organizations such as the UFW say that percentage is actually much higher.
Eighty-one percent spoke Spanish as their native language, and on average, the highest grade reached was the seventh.
Yet the path to legalization as well as educational and economic success has been blocked for illegal immigrant field laborers.
Congress has rejected the UFW-backed AgJOBS bill, which would give those already in the U.S. the right to earn legal status by continuing to work in agriculture. And let's not forget that Gov. Schwarzenegger recently vetoed state legislation that would have provided field laborers with the same overtime as other workers.
Thankfully, the U.S. has no taste for mass deportations. Illegal immigration slowed in the last few years with the sputtering economy, but it will not vanish as long as jobs are available.
It was not without difficulties, but in the end, the nation has always benefited from its waves of immigrants. If we refuse to allow these foreign laborers to move into the mainstream, the U.S. will be all the poorer.
Thankfully, the U.S. has no taste for mass deportations. Illegal immigration slowed in the last few years with the sputtering economy, but it will not vanish as long as jobs are available.
It was not without difficulties, but in the end, the nation has always benefited from its waves of immigrants. If we refuse to allow these foreign laborers to move into the mainstream, the U.S. will be all the poorer.
Read more about Colbert's appearance here:
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Perhaps we need to change the definition and call this what it has been all along: SLAVERY
ReplyDeleteThanks, Patrick. This reminds me of Gov. Schwarzenegger's rationalization for vetoing the farmworker overtime law several weeks ago. He said it would be bad for the economy. That's what they said about ending slavery, too. -- Leonel
ReplyDelete