Posted on 10/30/2019 4:58:58 PM PDT by LesbianThespianGymnasticMidget
A group of Representatives led by Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) recently introduced the Farm Workforce Modernization Act (FWMA). This bill will amnesty over 1.5 million illegal alien farmworkers, expand the H-2A program, add 40,000 green cards to the EB-3 category, and mandate E-Verify across the agriculture sector.
Despite its flashy name, this bill does nothing to modernize the agricultural workforce. Instead of encouraging the adoption of time- and cost-saving technology, this bill proposes amnestying millions of alien farmworkers and giving them a path to citizenship. It is a massive amnesty, plain and simple. Farmworker Amnesty
The bill creates a new immigration status titled Certified Agricultural Worker (CAW). Aliens are eligible for CAW if they worked in agriculture for at least 180 days in the past two years. Successful applicants earn a renewable 5-year work visa renewable as long as they continue to work in agriculture. There are over 3 million farmworkers in the United States, and researchers estimate that anywhere from 50 to 70 percent of this workforce is illegal. This means that roughly 1.5 to 2.1 million aliens are eligible for this amnesty.
Further, the bill shields CAW-eligible aliens from deportation for a two year period after enactment. It even suspends active removal proceedings against aliens who are tentatively eligible for CAW. Even those who do not apply for CAW benefit from its amnesty initially.
CAW workers can eventually apply for green cards through an archaic system that resembles indentured servitude. Aliens who worked in agriculture for at least 10 years before the bill’s enactment must labor under CAW status for at least 4 additional years before applying for a green card. Alternatively, aliens who worked for less than 10 years before enactment must work at least 8 more years under CAW status. It is unclear how aliens would prove their length of employment, which presents the opportunity for widespread fraud. Instead of enshrining a renewable nonimmigrant visa or transitioning these workers to H-2A, this bill gives them a path to citizenship. This will encourage further illegal immigration as aliens outside the country try to benefit from legalization. H-2A Changes
The H-2A program is an uncapped visa that permits American farmers to hire available seasonal workers. The program has a number of flaws, but still gives the agriculture industry an unlimited supply of legal workers. Big agriculture ignores the program because it is still cheaper and easier to hire illegal aliens instead of enrolling in the H-2A program. This will remain the status quo unless the Federal government pursues aggressive and punitive sanctions on noncompliant employers, expands interior immigration enforcement, and simplifies the use of the H-2A.
The bill’s tweaks do not address any of those issues with the H-2A. Instead, it creates two pilot programs. First, it allocates 20,000 capped H-2A visas for use year-round, half of which must go to dairy farmers, a group currently excluded from accessing H-2A workers because it is not seasonal work. After 10 years, Congress can choose to eliminate the cap, making the H-2A visa a de facto year-round program. Green Card Expansion
The bill adds 40,000 additional EB-3 green cards, allowing H-2A workers to apply for legal permanent residency after 10 years of H-2A status. H-2A workers normally cannot adjust their status and apply for legal permanent residency, except in a few circumstances. With these visas, the H-2A program could become a new pipeline for unskilled migrants to become American citizens. Activist groups will try to expand the number of visas well beyond 40,000 annually in the future. E-Verify
The bill claims that it will implement E-Verify (or a permanent, but different, electronic verification system) across the agricultural sector. It will phase in over a period of time and will only apply to the agriculture industry. This is a bad bargain for E-Verify supporters. Instead of restricting its use to one industry, Congress must make E-Verify mandatory for all private and public employers, with a phase-in period for agriculture. Conclusion
The Farm Workforce Modernization Act is a naked attempt at amnesty. This bill would amnesty over 1 million illegal aliens and encourage further illegal immigration. Further, the bill would place the legalized aliens in a strange indentured servitude limbo period, tying them to agriculture for years with a restricted work permit and a promised path to citizenship.
For these reasons, FAIR opposes the bill in its current form and will continue to monitor its progress in the House of Representatives.
Haven't had the time to read the full text yet but based on a google search on who is supporting it this is not good at all.
Just end all welfare programs. Let poor people and even prisoners (provided they pass a health screening) do farm work.
Roughly 1.5 to 2.1 million new DemocRat voters.
We really do have to replace the Bush League Republicans before they give away our country.
No amnesty!!! Deport them all and the the employers.
No amnesty!!! Deport them all and the the employers.
No
I’m not totally opposed to work visas, but their families have to stay in their home countries.
Nope.
When the word gets out they’ll all claim they’re farm workers,LOL
No amnesty, and especially no pathway to citizenship. No one who comes here illegally should ever be allowed to become a citizen.
HELL NO!
We’ve just had a strong run of illegal immigrants, and we’re starting to get it all under control.
Not satisfied, these idiots want to demand more amnesty.
HELL NO! We’ve had enough of this s—t!
But I wonder if some kind of guest worker plan might be established. Of course there would have to be serious,SERIOUS restrictions on the foreigners who participate.
“There are over 3 million farmworkers in the United States, and researchers estimate that anywhere from 50 to 70 percent of this workforce is illegal”
Then the farmers who employ these people illegally should be arrested, tried, jailed and have their farms confiscated using RICO laws.
Reading it won’t change my mind.
30-40 million is enough!
Send them home damn it!
Absolutely horrible. If this passes and Trump doesn’t veto, he’ll be a one-term president. (And no, I’m not saying that’s what he’d do.)
LAST AMNESTY WAS OVER 40% FRAUD BUT STILL RUBBER STAMPED
Five years eh?
That is a familiar number...
https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/when-apply-us-citizenship-46704.html
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