The government recently reversed its stance regarding immigrant workers in agricultural industry. Initially, it touted stricter immigration enforcement as a boon to American born workers. However, stricter immigration enforcement only aggravated the lack of available labor in the agriculture industry. This reversal resulted in changes to the popular H-2A visa program, much to the chagrin of US born workers and labor unions. The conflict highlights the contradiction between the government’s priorities regarding immigration and reducing prices.
Under the changes to the H-2A program, wages for beneficiaries will decrease from one to seven dollars an hour. Additionally, farm owners can now list housing as part of compensation they give workers. The move prompted a lawsuit from the United Farm Workers of America, a group representing thousands of field workers.
The government initially adopted stricter enforcement and conducted immigration raids on agricultural facilities over the course of the past year. These raids, while small, had a massive effect on the labor pool. According to a survey by the California Farm Bureau, more than fourteen percent of farms across the state lost workers due to the increase in immigration enforcement operations. Many of these immigrant workers are H-2A beneficiaries, which make up fifteen percent of all crop workers.
As always, ILBSG actively monitors ongoing U.S. immigration news. If you have questions about any U.S. immigration related issue, please contact us. Working with an experienced attorney ensures you get the right advice based on the most recent laws and policy updates. In an ever-evolving immigration landscape, it’s particularly critical you get the right advice.