One small step for immigration reform*

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After years of trying, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) succeeded Wednesday in getting some help for California farmers struggling with labor shortages. In the poisonous atmosphere surrounding immigration, Feinstein tried and failed in 2006 and 2007 to pass an ‘AgJobs’ bill that would have given legal status to undocumented farmworkers if they met certain conditions. On Wednesday, she successfully added an amendment to an Iraq spending bill (a previous version of this post incorrectly called it the farm bill)*. Feinstein’s amendment would give up to 1.35 million farmworkers temporary legal status for five years, as long as they can prove they have already been working in agriculture. They must also pledge to do farm work for 100 days a year for the next five years, after which her amendment expires. The amendment does not give workers a way to earn citizenship or long-term legal status. ‘Agriculture needs a consistent workforce,’ Feinstein said. ‘Without it, they can’t plant, they can’t prune, they can’t pick and they can’t pack. And the time has come for Congress to step up to the plate.’

Posted by Nicole Gaouette nicole.gaouette@latimes.com in Washington