Last week, I had the privilege of joining my colleagues (Carol Medeiros, Kevin Doty, Alicia White, Emily McDuff & Stephanie Manciagli) on a meaningful visit to Mexico to learn more about labor recruitment under the H2A visa program. The H2A temporary agricultural program allows agricultural employers who anticipate a shortage of domestic workers to bring nonimmigrant foreign workers to the U.S. to perform agricultural labor on a seasonal basis. The H2A system plays a critical role in supporting the U.S. agricultural workforce, but it is not without significant challenges. One of the most pressing concerns we were eager to explore was the unethical recruiting practices workers often face. These practices often exploit workers before they even set foot in the U.S.?
Exorbitant recruitment fees are one of the difficulties faced by workers, as they frequently compel them to borrow money- or sell belongings to cover the costs of paying for the opportunity, leaving them in significant debt upon arrival. ?
Additionally, false promises and lack of transparency are all too common. Workers may arrive in the U.S. only to discover that conditions are far worse than promised -facing lower wages, poor living conditions, or even job insecurity. The absence of transparency leaves workers vulnerable and ill-equipped to advocate for their rights or seek recourse when necessary.?
Some recruitment agencies further compound these issues by engaging in exploitative practices, such as coercion or deception, to ensure that workers comply with their contracts. These practices have the potential to result in abuses of power and mistreatment, both during recruitment and throughout the employment period.?
During a recruitment event, we had the opportunity to speak with workers in Tequila, Veracruz directly about a few of these difficulties. Our time spent with CIERTOGlobal and AgSocio was truly inspiring to see how recruitment can be approached ethically and responsibly. Their approach includes meetings with workers in their communities, detailed review of the contracts with them prior to departure and no recruitment fees. The workers receive training to prepare them for what to expect, keys to success, and worker rights throughout their journey.
During our trip we were warmly welcomed with a traditional Nahuas ceremony by two former H2A workers, Luis, Antonio, and their families. Together, we shared a home cooked meal, and I will never forget the smile on Luis’s face as he introduced us to his mother and welcomed us into their home. Hearing about the positive impact he experienced going through the CIERTO recruiting process and his employment with AgSocio was so encouraging. He also shared his dreams for the future, and I have no doubt his dreams will be reality in the not-too-distant future. ?
I look forward to further collaboration with CIERTO and AgSocio to understand how we can improve our supply chain.??
