U.S. IMMIGRATION RULES SPARK CONGRESS OBJECTIONS

  New immigration rules relating to
  alien farm workers and reportedly being drafted by the U.S.
  Agriculture Department are meeting with objections in Congress,
  sources on Capitol Hill said.
      USDA is drafting regulations, required by a 1986 law, that
  would offer amnesty to illegal aliens if they worked in the
  cultivation of fruits, vegetables and other perishable
  commodities.
      The department is considering including in its definition
  of perishable commodities such farm products as tobacco, hops,
  Spanish reeds and Christmas trees, while excluding sugar cane,
  the New York Times reported yesterday.
      Rep. Howard Berman, D-Calif., would like to see the
  definition extended to include sugar cane, cultivation of which
  is "a breeding ground for one of the scandals of the nation,"
  Gene Smith, a spokesman for Berman, said.
      Livestock, dairy and poultry producers have been lobbying
  USDA hard to have their products covered by the amnesty
  provision, farm industry sources said.
      Chuck Fields of the American Farm Bureau Federation said
  livestock producers were "desperate" because they fear they will
  be unable to retain the many illegal aliens who have joined
  that industry.
      A House staff member involved in drafting the landmark 1986
  immigration law who asked not to be identified said Congress
  did not mean to extend special amnesty provisions to workers
  who helped cultivate tobacco, and that inclusion of hops and
  Spanish reeds was "marginal."
      In addition, lawmakers made it clear during consideration
  of the bill that lumber workers were not to be covered by the
  the amnesty provisions, making the inclusion of Christmas trees
  "a tough call," this source said.
      USDA officials declined to comment on the draft regulation
  except to say it was subject to change before it will be
  released, probably some time later this month.
      While lawmakers may object to the USDA rule under
  consideration relating to perishable commodities, Congress is
  not likely to reopen debate on the controversial immigration
  question, congressional sources said.
      The amnesty provision specially designed for farm workers
  was crucial to passage of the overall immigration bill.
      Congressional staff members estimate the special farm
  worker amnesty provision would apply to between 250,000 to
  350,000 aliens. The law would allow eligible farm workers who
  worked for 90 days during the year ending May 1, 1986, to apply
  for temporary, then permanent, resident status.
  

