Ag leaders meet with DHS as immigration efforts continue
April 23, 2014 | 06:14 PM
Several members of the Agriculture Workforce Coalition were among the immigration stakeholders who met today with Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson.
Participants included Charles Conner, president and CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives; Ken Barbic, senior director of federal government affairs for Western Growers; Kristi Boswell, director of congressional relations for the American Farm Bureau Federation; Manuel Cunha, president of the Nisei Farmers League, and Craig Regelbrugge, senior vice president of the American Horticulture Industry Association.
The rest of the participants included representatives of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, several evangelical groups, and McDonald’s Corporation.
Jeh Johnson
Johnson “underscored the importance of congressional action to pass commonsense immigration reform– which will offer a permanent solution to our broken immigration system,” DHS said in a news release distributed by the White House.
Conner, who acts as spokesman for the Agriculture Workforce Coalition, told The Hagstrom Report in an email, “I pointed out to Secretary Johnson the significance of the Agriculture Workforce Coalition and the united front put forth by agriculture in calling for a legislative solution to our immigration problems.”
Charles Conner
“The secretary stressed the need for more clarity and transparency in the enforcement of our current immigration laws,” Conner said.
“He was commended for this effort but was also cautioned not to do anything that could be viewed as undermining the ongoing legislative process. The AWC still believes that there is a viable window for action on immigration reform yet this year and will continue to work with key House members to accomplish that goal.”
Meanwhile, farm workers and immigration reform advocates made plans to line up single file Thursday in Bakersfield, Calif., at the office of Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. to take turns knocking on the door to request a meeting with the congressman.
Farm workers will bring more than 50 types of fruits, vegetables, nuts, wine, and dairy products harvested in California, the United Farm Workers said in a news release. Each participant will carry local, handpicked produce and line the roadway with signs specifying what food each harvests, the UFW said.
Illinois Republican Reps. Adam Kinzinger and Aaron Schock delivered video testimonials for a pro-immigration event being hosted Tuesday in Chicago by the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition, which also features former Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., Roll Call reported.
These developments have led to speculation that immigration reform might pass the House this year, but a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, cautioned against it last Friday.
“Nothing has changed. As he’s said many times, the speaker believes step-by-step reform is important, but it won’t happen until the president builds trust and demonstrates a commitment to the rule of law,” Boehner spokesman Brendan Buck said in an email to reporters.
But Barbic said in a telephone interview, “A number of us are still optimistic that there is a window for legislative action this summer and we are working to try to bring that outcome to bear.”
▪ Agriculture Workforce Coalition ▪ Roll Call — Kinzinger, Schock Plead for Immigration Overhaul
Participants included Charles Conner, president and CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives; Ken Barbic, senior director of federal government affairs for Western Growers; Kristi Boswell, director of congressional relations for the American Farm Bureau Federation; Manuel Cunha, president of the Nisei Farmers League, and Craig Regelbrugge, senior vice president of the American Horticulture Industry Association.
The rest of the participants included representatives of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, several evangelical groups, and McDonald’s Corporation.
Jeh Johnson
Johnson “underscored the importance of congressional action to pass commonsense immigration reform– which will offer a permanent solution to our broken immigration system,” DHS said in a news release distributed by the White House.
Conner, who acts as spokesman for the Agriculture Workforce Coalition, told The Hagstrom Report in an email, “I pointed out to Secretary Johnson the significance of the Agriculture Workforce Coalition and the united front put forth by agriculture in calling for a legislative solution to our immigration problems.”
Charles Conner
“The secretary stressed the need for more clarity and transparency in the enforcement of our current immigration laws,” Conner said.
“He was commended for this effort but was also cautioned not to do anything that could be viewed as undermining the ongoing legislative process. The AWC still believes that there is a viable window for action on immigration reform yet this year and will continue to work with key House members to accomplish that goal.”
Meanwhile, farm workers and immigration reform advocates made plans to line up single file Thursday in Bakersfield, Calif., at the office of Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. to take turns knocking on the door to request a meeting with the congressman.
Farm workers will bring more than 50 types of fruits, vegetables, nuts, wine, and dairy products harvested in California, the United Farm Workers said in a news release. Each participant will carry local, handpicked produce and line the roadway with signs specifying what food each harvests, the UFW said.
Illinois Republican Reps. Adam Kinzinger and Aaron Schock delivered video testimonials for a pro-immigration event being hosted Tuesday in Chicago by the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition, which also features former Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., Roll Call reported.
These developments have led to speculation that immigration reform might pass the House this year, but a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, cautioned against it last Friday.
“Nothing has changed. As he’s said many times, the speaker believes step-by-step reform is important, but it won’t happen until the president builds trust and demonstrates a commitment to the rule of law,” Boehner spokesman Brendan Buck said in an email to reporters.
But Barbic said in a telephone interview, “A number of us are still optimistic that there is a window for legislative action this summer and we are working to try to bring that outcome to bear.”
▪ Agriculture Workforce Coalition ▪ Roll Call — Kinzinger, Schock Plead for Immigration Overhaul
