Jayapal Introduces Legislation to Protect Farmworkers from Exploitation

WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Immigration, Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, is introducing the U.S. Farmworker Protection Act, legislation to protect US farmworkers and migrant workers on the H-2A program, a temporary, agricultural guest worker program. 

“By allowing an unlimited number of workers to access the H-2A program without guardrails or meaningful oversight to protect workers, the administration has put these workers at risk of dangerous and exploitative practices from employers,” said Jayapal. “We have seen wage theft, human trafficking, and labor abuses, some of which have even led to death, run rampant in this program. Capping this program, with the exception of workers who have labor protections through unions, is a major step to protect workers and employers who are acting in good faith.”

The H-2A program is an opportunity for mutual benefit for U.S.-based companies and temporary workers. However, there have been reported cases of workers dying of heatstroke, being kidnapped and assaulted, and not receiving the wages, housing, or safety equipment they were promised. 

The fact that this program is uncapped allows bad-faith employers to abuse the system without repercussion, with a seemingly endless supply of workers. The U.S. Farmworker Protection Act would cap the program at 400,000 workers annually, with an exception for those who get labor protections through union membership. 

“The trafficking, abuse, and exploitation exposed within the H-2A guest worker program should anger every American,” said UFW President Teresa Romero. “Yet this uncapped guest worker program continues to grow — undercutting local wages and jobs. This common sense legislation will impose a numerical cap on the H-2A guest worker program for the first time, stabilizing the runaway growth of the H-2A program in line with its original statutory intent. This bill is necessary to create an agricultural labor market more conducive to the needs of the farm workers who are already here and have been feeding America for decades.”

The legislation is also sponsored by Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Nancy Pelosi (CA-12), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Greg Casar (TX-35), Judy Chu (CA-28), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37).

It is also endorsed by United Farm Workers; UFW Foundation; AFL-CIO; Farm Labor Organizing Committee; Service Employees International Union (SEIU); CASA; PCUN; Farmworker Association of Florida.

Issues: Immigration, Jobs, Labor, & the Economy