California Senator Dianne Feinstein is leading a push to legalize over a million undocumented farm workers. Jodi Breisler reports from Capitol Hill.
Joined by farm workers from California, Senator Dianne Feinstein promoted the comprehensive immigration reform legislation. Feinstein says almost 90 percent of California's 450,000 farm workers are foreign-born, and most are undocumented.
Feinstein : Without them- fruit would rot, crops will go unharvested and farms will fail.
Feinstein's measure would allow one-and-a-half million farm laborers the right to work if they pay fines and learn English. She says that's why the overall reform must pass.
Feinstein : There won't be an immigration bill if AG jobs as written isn't part of it -- that we all agree on. There's no problem.
The problems lie with the proposed pathway to citizenship and non-agricultural guest worker programs. Debate continues next week.
From Capitol Hill, Jodi Breisler, KPBS News.
