UFW joins LA union leaders traveled to Arizona to keep up the pressure against the SB 1070 anti-immigrant law. On July 28, a federal judge blocked major portions of the law, which went into effect on July 29.
Leaving all identification documents “papers” behind, members of the United Farm Workers (UFW), including UFW President Arturo Rodríguez, traveled to Phoenix, Arizona to keep up the pressure against the SB 1070 anti-immigration law. The UFW delegation met in Los Angeles with members from L.A. unions, community groups, and faith organizations who are also traveling to Arizona.
“We are glad that a federal judge temporarily blocked major portions of the SB 1070 anti-immigrant law from taking effect. We will be calling on the judge to make the ruling permanent,” Rodríguez said.
“If SB 1070 and other similar laws proposed around the country are allowed to go into effect, it would have a negative impact on the nation’s agricultural industry. Arizona produces much of the nation’s winter vegetables. Today somewhere between one-half and three-quarters of the U.S. farm labor workforce is undocumented. Agricultural employment is often the entry point for new migrants to this country. We need to end the fear and help improve the lives of the immigrant farm workers whose sweat and sacrifice bring the rich bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables to our tables. They do the hardest, most difficult jobs other American workers wont do,” Rodríguez said.
The UFW recently launched the national ‘Take Our Jobs’ campaign to highlight the role of undocumented farm workers in feeding Americans and the need for immigration reform for farm workers.
“The Arizona anti-immigrant bill and others like it are not the answer. The answer is comprehensive immigration reform,” Rodríguez added.