CHD News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 31, 2010

Contact:
Sherria Cotton
(202) 785-1670

NCLR URGES PASSAGE OF IMMIGRATION REFORM AND “CARE ACT” IN HONOR OF CIVIL RIGHTS LEGEND CESAR CHAVEZ Washington, DC—Today, in recognition of the birthday of the late civil rights leader Cesar Chavez, NCLR (National Council of La Raza), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, is urging Congress to approve comprehensive immigration reform, as well as legislation to better protect the hundreds of thousands of children who currently work in difficult conditions in our nation’s fields. The “Children’s Act for Responsible Employment of 2009” (H.R. 3564)—known as the “CARE Act”—would raise the minimum age at which children can work in agricultural jobs and require the U.S. Department of Labor to designate which jobs are safe for 14-year-olds and which jobs are off-limits to anyone under the age of 18.

“Cesar Chavez shined a national spotlight on the depressed wages and unbearable working conditions experienced by agricultural laborers in the 1960s. Still, today, too many farmworkers face similar conditions. An essential element of any solution to the myriad problems faced by farmworkers is immigration reform, including provisions in the ‘AgJOBS Act of 2009’ (H.R. 2412) that will reduce incentives for growers to hire undocumented workers by improving protections for all of our nation’s farmworkers,” commented Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO.

“Chavez fought for the rights of farmworkers who labored in inhumane conditions, with small children working alongside their parents in the scorching heat and at risk of injury from heavy machinery and exposure to pesticides. As child labor in the fields flourishes today, we must continue the fight that Chavez so passionately waged against the abhorrent practices that put Latino children in danger,” Murguía said.

“As the White House celebrates Chavez’s 83rd birthday today and honors his life of social justice, we commend the president for signing a proclamation designating March 31, 2010 as Cesar Chavez Day,” said Murguía. “For the hundreds of thousands of children who labor in our nation’s fields today—the vast majority of them Latino—not much has changed in the past 40 years. Farmworker organizations are doing their part to make sure that these children have hope for a better life. Congress can help by approving the ‘CARE Act’ immediately,” concluded Murguía.

For more information, please visit www.nclr.org | www.facebook.com/nationalcounciloflaraza | www.myspace.com/nclr2008 | www.twitter.com/nclr.