What Next | Daily News and Analysis Trump’s Attack on Visas
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Sep 23, 2025 Max Blau, a ProPublica reporter focusing on immigration and labor issues, dives into the H-2A visa program crucial for U.S. agriculture. He reveals how proposed cuts to Department of Labor enforcement could leave farm workers vulnerable to exploitation and ICE. Blau shares harrowing tales of labor abuse, detailing a trafficking scheme and personal stories of coercion and unpaid labor. He also discusses the staffing shortages within enforcement agencies, raising alarming questions about the future of visa programs and worker protections.
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H-2A Growth Outpaces Oversight
- The H-2A program supplies seasonal farm labor and has grown sharply to meet U.S. agricultural demand.
- Its expansion strains oversight, increasing risks of exploitation without more enforcement resources.
Temporary Higher Pay, No Path To Citizenship
- H-2A workers earn far higher hourly pay in the U.S. than in their home countries and receive housing and travel benefits.
- The program offers economic opportunity but not a path to citizenship, leaving workers tied to temporary status.
Contractor Scheme Turned Workers Into Victims
- Javier Sanchez Mendoza ran a farm labor contracting network that exploited H-2A workers and targeted vulnerable women.
- Prosecutors called his scheme a form of modern-day slavery and he received a 30-year sentence.
