Deportation protection sought for farmworkers in next coronavirus relief bill
Hispanic members of Congress are asking for more protections for farmworkers during the coronavirus outbreak, including assurances that they won’t be deported, hazard pay and help with childcare.
Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, led a letter signed by the 38 members of the Hispanic Caucus asking congressional leadership to prioritize farmworkers in an anticipated economic relief package.
“During this crisis, our frontline farmworkers are laboring every day to put food on America’s dinner table and maintain the world food supply,” wrote Costa, who is a member of the Hispanic Caucus. “As this virus threatens the resiliency of our food supply chains, it has never been more important to ensure the well-being of our agricultural producers and workforce. Future legislation in response to the coronavirus pandemic must include protections for these vital members of our communities.”
Congress has passed limited help for farmers during the pandemic. Most of the economic assistance has been to farmers directed to farmers rather the laborers.
Agriculture is considered an essential industry in California, allowing employees to work at job sites despite the stay-at-home order Gov. Gavin Newsom handed down on March 19. Newsom on Wednesday allocated $75 million to help undocumented households, making them eligible for assistance of up to $1,000.
The federal government has not provided workers with hazard pay. Costa said the request for hazard pay in the caucus letter was meant to make sure farmworkers aren’t excluded if Congress offers that incentive to other essential workers like nurses or postal workers.
Costa also wants to require state programs that provide federal nutrition assistance funding for farmworker communities to expand eligibility of childcare programs and give more support to health care centers in rural communities.
Henry Connelly, a spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, indicated farmworkers were a priority as she negotiates the next economic stimulus package with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin. But he did not offer any specifics on what they did or did not think was feasible in Costa’s letter.
“Our national food supply depends on the vulnerable farmworkers who have been excluded from many of the job safety and economic security protections that are essential for all families during the coronavirus epidemic,” Connelly said. “Democrats will continue to fight to protect the farmworkers and families who are keeping food on our tables in our coronavirus response bills.”
McConnell’s office did not offer a comment on the letter.
This story was originally published April 16, 2020 at 5:25 AM with the headline "Deportation protection sought for farmworkers in next coronavirus relief bill."
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