Most workers, however, are disqualified because of their immigration status. Almost all farm workers in California today are immigrants from Mexico and Central America. While there are no accurate statistics, it is generally agreed that more than half have no immigration documents. That disqualifies them from unemployment benefits, despite the fact that those benefits are based on a worker's earnings. For example, federal and state agencies plan to open 15 one-stop centers in the disaster area to help workers with rent and mortgages.
Most undocumented people shun public exposure, fearing deportation.
But at a meeting organized by the UFW to alert federal and state officials to the extent of the disaster, one undocumented Orange Cove woman, holding a baby in her arms and trailed by a small boy pulling at her skirt, spoke openly of her own situation. I've been living and working in Orange Cove for eight years. But I still can't get help. No unemployment benefits. No food stamps.