War Supplemental Bill Includes Amnesty for Illegal Ag Workers

The Senate Appropriations Committee last week voted 17-12 to attach an amnesty to the Iraq supplemental spending bill. In short, the AgJOBS amendment, which was sponsored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), would require the Department of Homeland Security to grant “emergency agricultural worker status” (i.e., amnesty) for up to five years to as many as 1.35 million illegal aliens, plus their spouses and children (bringing the total amnesty to about three million), if the illegal alien:

* Could show by “a preponderance of the evidence” that he worked 863 hours or 150 work days (defined as 5.75 hours of work per “work day”), or earned at least $7,000 in agricultural employment between January1, 2004, and December 31, 2007;

* Filed an amnesty application with a “qualified designated entity,” or with DHS directly if he is represented by an attorney or a nonprofit organization, during an 18-month application period that would begin six months after enactment of the amnesty;

* Was not a known terrorist or convicted criminal; and

* Paid a “fine” of $250.

[Editor’s Note: A more complete analysis is available as a PDF file and can be downloaded here.]