Sen. Chambliss (GA) has introduced proposed amendments to the Senate comprehensive immigration bill, S.1348, which is under debate, to change the AgJOBS compromise. Farm workers need your immediate help to ensure it's defeated. 

Please call your Senators TODAY.  You may contact the US Capitol Switchboard, 202-224-3121, and ask to be connected to a Senator’s office. You may also get contact information for Senators’ offices at the following website http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.

Sen. Chambliss wants to punish farmworkers under the AgJOBS legalization program with heavy fines that they cannot afford and that would serve no valid purpose.  The AgJOBS earned legalization program would impose a $100 fine on farmworkers who applied for temporary status (a Z-A visa), in addition to an application fee.  Upon applying for permanent status (a “green card”), the farmworker would need to pay another application fee and a $500 fine. 

The Chambliss amendment would multiply the initial fine by ten times, raising it from $100 to $1,000.  For many farmworkers, that $1000 fine alone would be 10% of their annual income, which is already so low that they cannot afford to feed or house their families adequately. 

He would raise the second fine from $400 effectively to $1,000.  Under the Chambliss amendment, the fine to be paid when the alien applies for a green card would be $4,000 but that fee would be reduced by $1,000 for every year of qualifying agricultural employment that the workers had performed under the future worker requirement, up to a maximum of 3 years credit. (Workers who hold temporary Z-A status under AgJOBS and seek permanent status will need to work in agriculture a minimum of 3 years and as much as 4 or 5 years.)   

Sen. Chambliss apparently argues that his proposal would make farmworkers’ fines similar to other fines.  We don’t see Sen. Chambliss expressing such an interest in equality when it comes to covering farmworkers with overtime pay, or the same child labor rules as other industries, or the same OSHA protections, or the same collective bargaining rights.  Farmworkers are already treated differently – and worse – and their low incomes partly result from that discrimination in the law.  These fines would be unduly harsh.

Please cmake your phone calls today!

Below is an example of what you can say.

My name is ------.  I am a resident of -----.  I am calling about the Senate immigration bill.  Please tell Sen. ___ to OPPOSE amendment number 1319 made by Senator Chambliss.  I OPPOSE the Chambliss amendment number 1319 because it would impose huge fines on poor farmworkers who cannot afford it.  Please tell Sen. – that I SUPPORT the AgJOBS farmworker immigration program in the Senate bill.  Thank you.