Harvest now; immigration later...

Growers do not have to worry about becoming the enforcement arm of immigration policy, yet.

The US Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arm issued a rule called the "Safe-Harbor Procedures for Employers Who Receive a No-Match Letter" which was to take effect on 9/14/2007.

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California issued a temporary restraining order against the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration (SSA) which enjoins and restrains those agencies from implementing the aforementioned rule. A hearing to consider an injunction that would extend this stay is scheduled for 10/12007.

This is a good time to learn more about the implications of this rule.

One of the most compreshensive sites I've found is UC Berkeley's Agricultural Personnel Management Program. Their procedures page offers links to SSA, ICE, US District courts, and broader analyses of of the regulation.

Another great resource is AgSafe.org, a non-profit coalition that is holding informational sessions on the regulation throughout California (Napa, Sonoma, Santa Rosa, Fresno).