Immigration policy significantly impacts farm workers. Many of the over two million farm workers in the U.S. are undocumented, which means our agricultural system heavily relies on the labor of workers who lack authorized immigration status.

Current immigration policy is inadequate and leaves many farm workers vulnerable to abuse, substandard working conditions, and depressed wages. Criminalizing immigrants leaves many farm workers living in constant fear of detention, deportation, and being separated from their families. We need a just and humane immigration system that respects the dignity of all immigrants and includes reasonable pathways to citizenship for farm workers and other essential workers.

Immigration reform is long past-due and should include:

• A reasonable path to citizenship for essential workers, which could include the immediate opportunity for them to travel across the border to their families and back to the US for work without fear of detention or deportation. The reasonable pathway also includes access to government benefits, including housing assistance, food assistance, social security, and health care.

• A reasonable path to citizenship for all dreamers.

• No E-Verify requirements for essential workers.

• No policies that significantly restrict vulnerable immigrants from seeking refuge in the U.S.

• Policies that increase safety for border communities rather than policies that expose more individuals to abuse or trafficking.

• No federal or state policies that criminalize immigrants, such as charging undocumented immigrants with a felony for criminal trespassing.

• No federal or state policies that criminalize people who assist undocumented persons.

• H-2A regulations that better benefit farm workers and ensure fair wages, such as: 

• Living wages

• Grievance policies and oversight boards

• Provision for transportation reimbursements and housing

• No expansion to year-round visas under the H-2A program

• Stronger oversight of farm labor contractors (FLCs), and mutual responsibility of FLCs and growers for labor conditions on their farms

We urge you to work with your colleagues bi-partisanly to pass comprehensive immigration reform that is just and humane. Undocumented farm workers and other vulnerable workers cannot keep waiting for Congress to do the right thing for our economy and nation.