Martin Rubalcava came to the U.S. in 1979 from Mexico, and before he earned his citizenship constantly worried about getting rounded up by immigration officials.
“With the papers, I could begin to feel safe,” he said through a translator. “I could invest, help my kids get ahead, and feel free. Nobody could kick me out any more.”
Rubalcava told his story Friday morning in Watsonville, during a press conference as Rep. Zoe Lofgren introduced H.R. 4696, a bill that updates parts of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), better known as the registry.
Rubalcava’s fellow field workers are now facing the same fears as President Donald Trump and his administration enforce their hardline stance against undocumented residents.
“I feel bad watching my community be afraid,” he said. “The workers today deserve the same thing I received: the opportunity to become American citizens and get ahead.”
H.R. 4696 would allow immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for seven years or more and have a clean criminal record to apply for permanent residency.
Watsonville Mayor Maria Orozco called the bill “a proposal that could change lives.”
It would, she said, provide a pathway to legal residency to immigrants “who have built their lives here, raised families here, and contributed to cities like Watsonville for decades.”
Santa Cruz County Supervisor Felipe Hernandez agreed.
“In Santa Cruz County, immigrants aren’t just a part of our community, they are the heart of it,” he said.
Lofgren’s bill, he said, is “about giving people who have proved their commitment to this country the opportunity to step out of the shadows and into the light.”
But while the bill is likely to strike a chord with many residents, not everyone is on board with it.
Santa Cruz County Central Republicans Central Committee Chairman Mike Lelieur said that the proposed legislation effectively functions as an amnesty program for undocumented individuals.
“While proponents argue that this update modernizes an outdated system and provides stability for long-term residents who contribute to society, we view it as undermining the legal immigration process,” Lelieur wrote to The Pajaronian in an email. “By prioritizing those who entered or remained in the U.S. unlawfully, H.R. 4696 risks creating an unfair advantage over immigrants who have diligently followed legal pathways, waiting years for visas or green cards.”
That could “disincentivize lawful immigration and reward illegal entry, contrary to the principles of fairness and the rule of law,” he said.
Lelieur added that the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 legalized approximately 2.7 million people, but failed to curb illegal immigration in the long term.
“We argue that such policies may encourage further illegal immigration by signaling that long-term unlawful presence will eventually be rewarded,” he said.
Lofgren said that most people agree with President Donald Trump’s campaign promise to deport violent criminals.
But many people, such as day laborers, busboys and farm workers—even those without criminal records—are being rounded up by immigration officials, she said.
“I think that’s outrageous, and it deserves condemnation,” she said.
Lofgren said that the local agriculture industry generates some $1.5 billion annually.
“Clearly farmworkers are invaluable in Santa Cruz County,” Lofgren said. “In fact, Americans around the country have food on their tables day in and day out because of the backbreaking labor in the fields by farmworkers. Providing stability to our communities versus terrorizing them will make our country stronger.”
The bill is almost certain to get pushback from the Republican-controlled U.S. government, but how much is unclear.
Because the hardline stance on immigration issues is affecting law-abiding residents, many Republican lawmakers are receiving backlash from their constituents, Lofgren said.
“This is a bill that gives them a way out,” she said. “It’s in keeping with American values, and I hope that they come to their senses.”
Lofgren authored the bill along with Representatives Norma Torres, Lou Correa, Grace Meng, Adriano Espaillat and Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García.
The registry provision was first enacted on March 2, 1929.
It allows certain immigrants who have been continuously present in the U.S. to apply for permanent residency if they have a clean record.
The press conference coincided with U.S. Senator Alex Padilla’s reintroduction of the Senate companion legislation at an event in Los Angeles.
•••Click here for the full text of H.R. 4696. Click here for a one-pager about H.R. 4696.
