Undocumented Farmworkers in California

Undocumented Farmworkers in California
Undocumented farmworkers in California face many problems, including environmental injustice, issues with access to healthcare, and immigration policy. There is an extensive history of undocumented farmworkers working and unionizing to gain access and rights to fair wages, legal status, and environmental and health justice.
59% of undocumented farmworkers in the United States enterered over 10 years ago. Up tp 65% of farm laborers in California are undocumented
EPA Policy
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The United States Environmental Protection Agency was established on December 2, 1970 under President Richard Nixon. The EPA’s mission is to protect human health by safeguarding air, water, drink land, thus working towards a cleaner, healthier environment for the American people. The EPA is a consolidation of federal research, monitoring and enforcement activities, and standard-setting to ensure environmental protection.
The EPA receives its authority to register pesticides under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and establishes tolerances (maximum legally permissible levels) for pesticide residues in food under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).
California Environmental Protection Agency
Established formally in 1991, the California Environmental Protection Agency is an agency dedicated to restoring, protecting and enhancing the environment.
Health
Pesticide-Related Health Issues
Agriculture systems in the United States are cited as the single largest user of pesticides. Pesticides, while registered with the EPA, are made of both active and inert ingredients and are currently not tested for health effects that are chronic or acute.
Some health issues associated with pesticide exposure are in increase in tumor-related death. Other studies found an increase for brain cancer, non-hodgkins lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, hairy-cell leukemia ,kidney cancer, lung cancer , pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, and stomach cancer over a long period of time in relation to pesticide exposure.
Access to Health Care
There are a multitude of reasons for why a great number of workers do not have access to health care. Since 84% percent of farmworkers in the U.S. are Latino, many do not speak English. The language barrier constitutes a prominent reason for lack of insurance among farmworkers. In 2005, the National Agricultural Worker Survey reported that only 22% of farmworkers in America are covered for health insurance. Migrant farmworkers are also reported to have a low education levels. Other reasons are related to lack of transportation financial means, and migrant health centers. While it is difficult to synthesize farmworker demographic data, one study found that a little more than half of U.S. farmworkers were in the United States without legal citizenship. The lack of authorization has been linked to an avoidance of health care professionals and other amenities that could potentially alert authorities of their status.
History
North American Free Trade Agreement
Since the passing of the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1993, there have been a large northward migration of Mexican farm workers.This is often said to be due to the effects on Mexican corn farmers.
Environmental Impact of NAFTA
NAFTA has led to an increased use of pesticides and environmental policy was often neglected.Free trade resulted in pressures on the environment, requiring regulation and protection. NAFTA has increased air and water pollution in Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
Agricultural Job Opportunity, Benefits, and Security Act
Introduced to sentate in 2003, the 108th congress, the Agricultural Job Opportunity, Benefits, and Security Act of 2003 (AgJOBS) allows for qualifying alien farmworkers’ adjustment to legal status, but not to alien farmworkers already working in the United States without legal status. The AgJOBS Act of 2005, introduced in the first session of the 109th Congress, reforms AgJOBS to include adjustment to legal status.
United Farm Workers
Environmental Aspects of UFW
The UFW grape boycott was the start of addressing pesticide exposure and attributing farmworkers' deaths to hazardous pesticides The UFW partnered with the Evironmental Defense Fund (EDF) and was represented by the EDF when working to ban the use of DDT. By June of that year, California farm owners began to sign union contracts with the UFW, allowing for the monitering and regulation of dangerous pesticides, including DDT<ref name=":0" />.

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