Yesterday, farm workers and immigration reform advocates with the United Farm Workers in Bakersfield, California erected a makeshift camp, where dozens stayed all night, promising not to leave until GOP Whip Kevin McCarthy takes action on immigration reform.
The action follows months in which the advocates have been trying to meet with Rep. McCarthy, but have been unable to due to his office being constantly locked. Yesterday, the activists also used the camp to phone bank McCarthy’s office and push them for legislation. Today, they will be participating in a mass produce delivery from hundreds of California farm workers. Each participant will carry local, handpicked produce and line the roadway with signs specifying what food each farm worker harvests.
As to Arturo Rodriguez, UFW President, said in a press statement yesterday:
The more Congressman McCarthy tries to ignore us, the stronger our movement becomes. If McCarthy thinks we’ll go away with empty promises and broken rhetoric, he should think again. We won’t stop until we get the vote on comprehensive immigration reform that our community deserves.
McCarthy may have given up on immigration reform, but I assure you, California’s farm workers have not. If farm workers can spend 10 long, hard hours picking produce to feed McCarthy’s family, can’t he take 10 minutes to schedule a vote?
View the photos and tweets from last night below, and stay tuned for updates on today’s delivery:
