Catholic Charities USA in new commitment to U.S. farmworkers

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January 2003

Affordable housing tops Catholic Charities USA's 2003 legislative agenda
Catholic Charities USA begins renewed commitment to U.S. farmworkers
Catholic Charities USA establishes 2003 legislative priorities
Urge a peaceful settlement to Iraq/Korea confrontations

Catholic Charities USA begins renewed commitment
to U.S. farmworkers
A statement recently approved by Catholic Charities USA's Board of Trustees outlines the dire conditions facing farmworkers and commits Catholic Charities USA to a greater advocacy effort on their behalf.

"After visiting farmworkers in nine different settings in six states across the United States, representatives of Catholic Charities USA were appalled by what they saw and heard. It is shameful that here in the United States, two to three million people live and work in our country under abysmal conditions, comparable to those in third world countries," reads the new farmworker statement.

The statement calls on "Catholic Charities agencies and institutions to reach out with renewed efforts to share God's love and blessings to these newcomers, who are truly the poorest of the poor in our country." Catholic Charities USA plans to step up its efforts in support of legislation to allow undocumented workers to adjust to legal status.

In addition, the statement commits Catholic Charities USA to a greater advocacy effort on the following farmworker justice issues:

* Labor law, wage, and hour reforms, and better enforcement of the current laws for agricultural workers.

* Legislative reforms and improved enforcement in guest worker programs.

* Immigration reforms to help undocumented workers adjust to legal status.

* Restoration of federal benefits to legal immigrants.

* Support for adequate federal and state funding for rural housing, and for existing programs, such as migrant health, English as a second language instruction, and education and enforcement of the laws that govern the use of pesticides.

Most migrant workers come from Latin America and have a Catholic background, and in time of need, have turned to Catholic Charities agencies across the nation. Working with them and seeing their plight, local agency staff called for national action by Catholic Charities USA.

In response, the Migrant and Farm Worker Project was initiated at Catholic Charities USA in January 2001 to identify avenues for legislative advocacy on behalf of these oppressed people. Project director Sister Faith Colligan, the Margaret Cafferty Fellow at Catholic Charities USA, says, "We see farmworkers and low-wage immigrant workers as one of the most marginalized populations in the United States. Because they lack documentation, they have no legal rights."

Colligan plans to use the new statement on farmworkers' rights to educate and alert members of Congress to the plight of farmworkers.

"It is mass education at the federal level," said Colligan. "It will be an uphill climb and particularly difficult to convince senators and congressmen from urban areas that they should give attention to this issue. They don’t believe they are affected by farmworker issues. But if they are eating food, then they are served by this population, whether they admit it or not."

The approval of the farmworker statement follows behind the recent approval of a statement on migration approved by the bishops of the United States and Mexico.

"The bishops are calling on all Catholics and on government, and we are calling on all Catholic Charities agencies to pay more attention both to services and advocacy for immigrant workers," said Sharon M. Daly, vice president for social policy for Catholic Charities USA. "The bishops' statement and our statement call attention to this issue. This is a special time to educate the Catholic community about some of the most vulnerable people among us."

For more information:
"A Crusade for Farmworker Justice"

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