Max Blau

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.

Max Blau, a ProPublica reporter focused on immigration, shines a light on the H-2A agricultural guest worker program. He highlights the critical role of these visas in American agriculture amid mounting labor shortages and the Trump administration's proposed cuts to oversight. Blau discusses alarming enforcement gaps leading to exploitation and wage theft in the industry, illustrated by a compelling case study. The conversation reveals the precarious balance workers face between legal employment and vulnerability to ICE.

Max Blau, a ProPublica reporter focused on health care, the environment, agriculture, and immigration, dives into the H-2A visa program. He reveals how American agriculture, reliant on foreign workers, faces challenges under proposed cuts to enforcement. The conversation highlights disturbing cases of exploitation, like that of Sophie, and systemic vulnerabilities within labor contracting. With labor shortages looming, Blau discusses the potential future of H-2A amid growing demand and the risks of legislative changes that threaten workers' rights.