May 24, 2006
Fresno Chamber
Calls on Congress to Support Comprehensive Immigration Reform
|
Immigration Reform
The Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce will
support legislative action that:
- Creates a guest worker program that is
comprehensive, addressing both future economic needs
for workers and the status of undocumented workers
already in the United States and includes a proper
process in which to keep track.
- Strengthens national security by providing for
thorough screening of foreign workers and creating
strong disincentives for illegal immigration.
- Creates an employment verification system that is
fast and reliable for employers and those seeking
employment.
- Ensures that all workers enjoy the same labor law
protections. Only by bringing undocumented workers
out of the shadows can we protect them from
unscrupulous employers who might exploit them.
- Ensures all documented workers, those trying to
become permanent residents/citizen, can demonstrate
knowledge of the English language and American civic
requirements. |
The Greater Fresno
Area Chamber of Commerce recognizes that our immigration system
is broken. To fix it, a comprehensive approach is needed because
it is easier to enforce laws that make sense and can work.
The U.S. House of Representatives has not touched immigration
laws since 1986. A bill passed by the House in late 2005 (H.R.
4437) would require all employers of all sizes from all parts of
the country to verify that every one of their current employees
is eligible to work here; that would include documentation for
140 million people. It is estimated that penalties and paperwork
violations could cost up to $25,000 per person. The bill was
later killed by the Senate. U.S. Congress is now looking for a
comprehensible answer to immigration reform.
Background
There is an estimated 10-12 million undocumented migrants in the
United States right now. The vast majority are working
regularly, paying taxes, and supporting their families. They
play vital roles in many important industries, especially in the
greater Fresno area, where we live in one of the largest
agricultural producing counties in the entire world.
The San Joaquin Valley constitutes as California’s largest
agriculture producing bioregion. One out of every three jobs in
our county is in the food and fiber industry.
Fresno County leads in the nation in number of farms (6,592),
farms with sales of $100,000 or more (2,321) and harvested
cropland (1.16 million acres). Fresno County’s average farm size
is 285 acres – only 383 farms are 1,000 acres or more. Most of
our members run family-owned operations.
Agriculture supports 1.1 million jobs, nearly 8 percent of all
jobs in California, and in California’s Central Valley,
agriculture supports 30 percent of all jobs.
Contact Amy Huerta,
the Chamber's Government Affairs Manager for more information at
(559)
495-4818
or
ahuerta@fresnochamber.com
