RE: Practical Advice on the President's immigration proposal

January 9, 2004

Thanks to Ruiz for sending Greg Shell's clarifying summary and advice.

However, it's my impression that the status quo is not remaining in place

what with the new border procedures of photographing and finger-printing.

My farmworker contacts tell me they are quite worried about what they

perceive as a tightening noose.

Nichols

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California Institute for Rural Studies

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Telephone: (530) 756-6555

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From: Ruiz [mailto:jruiz@...]

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Cc: Ruiz

Subject: [ ] Practical Advice on the President's

immigration proposal

Dear Colleagues.

As a follow-up to the posting by Tina Castanares of FJF's response to the

President's recent immigration proposal I am posting some advice provided by

Greg Schell. The bottom line is that there is not much detail related to the

President's proposal nor is there any timeline for introducing legislation.

Greg provides practical advise that should be shared with your patients

should they ask about moving forward at this time.

BELOW IS THE VIEW OF THE BUSH PLAN FROM GREG SCHELL, FARM WORKER LAWYER IN

FLORIDA :

A message from Greg Schell, the farmworker advocate/attorney:

By now, most people have heard that the Bush Administration has

announced its immigration proposal. From all indications, this

proposal is not good news for undocumented workers.

The president's plan does not give green cards to undocumented

workers; it simply transforms them all into H-2A or H-2B workers,

with few legal protections. The only path to legalization for

undocumented workers under the President's bill is through a

relative petition (for example, marriage to a U.S. citizen).

There is little or no chance of the Bush plan passing anytime soon.

What it does do is put a real damper on the AgJOBS farmworker

legalization bill. Our current sense is that AgJOBS may well be

dead, as everyone instead focuses on the president's bill. The

restrictionist opponents of immigration reform in the House, who

have been the main roadblocks to AgJOBS, now have new ammunition for

opposing AgJOBS. They can simply say that they're waiting for the

details of the President's comprehensive immigration reform, rather

than moving on a bill narrowly tailored to address the specific

problems of undocumented farmworkers.

If farmworkers contact you, they should be told that there is no

bill anywhere near passage at the present time, so people should not

pay lawyers money for filling out papers, etc. Also, no one should

approach INS asking for an application, etc. For the foreseeable

future, it looks like the status quo will be in place for a good

long time.

Ruiz

Assistant Director Systems Development and Policy Administration

Migrant Health Coordinator

National Association of Community Health Centers, Inc.

7200 Wisconsin Avenue Suite 210

Bethesda, MD 20814

(301) 347-0442

(301) 347-0459 FAX

(202) 365-0154 Cell Phone

jruiz@...

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January 9, 2004

Dear Colleagues:

Does anyone have anything positive to say about this immigration proposal?

I have read the text of the speech thoroughly, and it seems that the FJF is

reading into it and injecting its own clearly anti-Bush sentiments and

biases (comparing it to slavery and indentured servitude?). I would like to

know if anyone has some constructive criticism on the potential good that

could come from these reform efforts.

Please see the attached fact sheet for the proposal outline before you rush

to conclusions.

Ruschak

Program Manager

Migrant Education

Greeley, Colorado