A Look at How United States Immigration and Labor Policy Affect the Foreign Workforce on American Farms

摘要

The agriculture industry in the United States is facing a labor crisis.227 In a time of heightened rhetoric over the immigrant debate, agribusiness has become incredibly dependent on undocumented workers to fill jobs that remain left open by American workers.228 At the center of this crisis is the intersection of United States immigration policy and United States labor policy.229 To combat the labor shortage,230 the United States must improve the current agricultural visa program to bring in more foreign workers and put them on an expedited path to citizenship. In order to stabilize the workforce, the visa program must include protections and accommodations for visa workers that allow them to have adequate pay, working conditions, and living arrangements. Allowing workers to continue uninterrupted by mandatory exits from the country and by offering a less complicated path to citizenship allows employers to be able to rely on a stable workforce both in day-to-day operations and in the long term.