Florida company will increase number of employees with H-2A visas from Mexico and Central America due to exodus of undocumented immigrants

In Florida, United States, the company that provides the largest number of agricultural workers with H-2A visas announced that it will increase the number of workers from Mexico and Central American countries.

The information was sent by Noticias Telemundo on Wednesday, September 27, 2023.

What is the reason for this increase in the number of workers on H-2A visas?

The news outlet pointed out that this is due to the fact that “many undocumented men and women decided to leave that state out of fear since SB 1718, enacted by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, went into effect in July. 2023.”

Given this scenario, the increase in the number of migrant workers is expected to be 10%.

Concern was a pending issue. On September 5, 2023, it was published in El Universo that “to states far from Florida, where they do not feel threatened or persecuted”, the labor force so necessary for agricultural production left.

“The law could lead to Florida farms bringing in more temporary foreign workers through a federal government agricultural program called H-2A,” El Nuevo Herald said.

What is Florida law SB1718? These are the penalties resulting from the rule against undocumented immigrants in the United States

There are very few of us left, says farm worker

“All our chili is rotting,” complained Flor, a farm worker consulted by Noticias Telemundo.

The woman confirmed: “There were very few of us left, there were about 200 of us and now we are about 50. They (those who left their days in the countryside) were very scared (with the controversial law) and left .”

The law SB 1718 will come into effect three months after it comes into effect next Sunday, October 1.

And, Telemundo recalled, from July to September: only one person has legal proceedings by that legal regulation.

Immigrants in Florida: These are the precautions against law SB 1718 proposed by the League of United Latin American Citizens

In early September, Univision reported that a Mexican national had become Florida’s first prisoner under the SB 1718 law for transporting undocumented immigrants.

To mark these first 90 days of “life” of the law, Telemundo noted, a coalition of pro-immigrant organizations plans to meet in Orlando next weekend to determine what actions they will take on immigration in the coming months. .

H-2A Visa for Temporary Agricultural Workers

The H-2A program, USCIS states on its website, allows U.S. employers or agents who meet specific legal requirements to bring foreign nationals to the United States for the purpose of filling temporary agricultural jobs.

“An employer, a U.S. agent as described in the regulations, or a U.S. agricultural producer association called a joint employer must—says the USCIS—file Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker, on behalf of the prospective employee.”.

(JO)