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ABIC Welcomes the Reintroduction of the Farm Workforce Modernization Act
On May 7, bipartisan Reps. Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Mike Simpson (R-ID), Jim Costa (D-CA), David Valadao (R-CA), and Adam Gray (D-CA), reintroduced the Farm Workforce Modernization Act.
Read the statements from ABIC, farmers, farm workers, and lawmakers on reintroduction of the bill.
“This legislation is necessary to lay the groundwork for continued negotiations, and I am committed to working closely with my colleagues to enact long-term, durable reforms to our agriculture guest worker programs,” said Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA). “This issue has been, and remains, my top priority and unified Republican government is an opportunity to deliver for our farmers and ranchers.”
“The men and women who work America’s farms feed the nation. However, in the past few years, we’ve seen labor shortages contribute to high food prices,” said Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). “As economic chaos and confusion continues, it is essential we provide stability to this critical workforce.”
- “[This bill] is a commitment to the future of our farms, ranches…and the people who power them,” -Matt Teagarden, CEO of Kansas Livestock Association, and ABIC Agricultural Council Co-Chairman
- “Food security is national security. After 30 years without a meaningful solution, this legislation is critical.” -American Mushroom Institute President Rachel Roberts
- “Here in Indiana, immigrant workers make up 70% of the workforce at some dairies…[this bill] provides a much-needed opportunity.” – Steve Obert, dairy producer and executive director of Indiana Dairy Producers
- “This legislation presents an opportunity to tackle the challenges we face …especially for family-run operations like ours.” -Janille Baker, controller at Baker Ranches Inc, Utah and Nevada.
- ““Ready to collaborate with Congress and President Trump to deliver certainty for farmers, workers, and lower prices for American consumers,” – ABIC CEO Rebecca Shi
- “Across America, farm workers are still going to work everyday to put food on our tables,” said UFW President Teresa Romero. “Yet even as they feed our nation, too many farm workers are living in fear and uncertainty. The farm workers who feed America have earned the right to call America home. This bipartisan, common sense legislation will create an opportunity for these workers to step out of the shadows and become full members of the society they feed.”
The Farm Workforce Modernization Act would:
- Reform the H-2A program to provide more flexibility for employers and protections for workers
- Establish an option for agricultural workers to earn legal status through continued agricultural employment and economic contributions
- Make the program more responsive and user-friendly for employers
- Provide access to the program for industries with year-round labor needs
The legislation passed the House of Representatives with strong bipartisan support in the 116th and 117th Congresses.
Click here for a two-page summary of the bill.
Click here for a section-by-section outline of the bill.
Click here for the full text of the bill.
Texas Dream Act Powers Texas Prosperity
In a 9–2 vote, the Texas Senate Committee on Education advanced SB1798, which would repeal the Texas Dream Act. Enacted in 2001 by a Republican legislature and signed by Gov. Rick Perry, the law allows immigrant students to pay in-state tuition, the same as their peers.
Dreamers are Texans—nurses, teachers, and engineers.
As co-chairman of Comité100, I urge lawmakers to keep the Texas Dream Act alive. These are current Texas students who have been admitted to our universities based on their hard work and merit—not just their dreams
” -Massey Villarreal, Comite100 Co-Chairman
“When Dreamers have access to education, we all benefit…strengthening the very foundation of Texas’ future,” said Emiliano Valencia, ABIC Texas Deputy Director.
Read ABIC Action’s full statement and response from business leaders across Texas.
Watch highlights from powerful testimony by Emiliano Valencia, ABIC’s Texas Deputy Director to the Committee on Education in support of the Texas Dream Act.
More From the ABIC Network:
Webinar: Temporary Protected Status (TPS) — State of Play & Advocacy Invitation
May 29 | 1:00 PM ET
If your workforce includes employees on Temporary Protected Status (TPS), don’t miss this important webinar. We’ll provide an overview of the current state of the TPS program and share ways you can get involved in advocacy efforts to strengthen this essential workforce.
News Briefing:
Top news
- Trump Administration Seeks Supreme Court Approval to End Humanitarian Parole for 500,000 Migrants from 4 Countries
The Trump administration filed an emergency appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court Thursday to terminate a humanitarian parole program that allows over 500,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to live and work legally in the U.S. This move challenges a lower court ruling that blocked the administration’s plan.
“The district court has nullified one of the administration’s most consequential immigration policy decisions,” Solicitor General John Sauer wrote.
- U.S. Employers Increasingly Alarmed Over Immigration Changes
Employers cite fears of workplace raids, staffing shortages, and broader economic impacts. According to a Littler law firm survey of 349 executives—most from large companies—75% named immigration policy as a top concern, and 7 out of 10 expect enforcement by ICE and DHS to significantly affect their workplaces in the coming year. 58% fear staffing challenges, especially in sectors like manufacturing and hospitality.
Business leaders warn that immigration changes could worsen labor shortages in essential roles such as elder care, agriculture, and construction.
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- Immigration Enforcement Ramp Up Alarms Miami Businesses
Miami-Dade businesses are voicing growing concern over the impact on their largely immigrant workforce—60% of which is foreign-born. With many non-citizens potentially at risk, the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and FIU have launched an anonymous survey to gauge how local companies are coping.
- Immigration Enforcement Ramp Up Alarms Miami Businesses
A new program for immigrants who voluntarily leave the U.S. by utilizing a U.S. Customs and Border Protection app is being promoted as a cost-effective alternative to formal deportation. The Department of Homeland Security says this approach could cut deportation costs by about 70%, as traditional removal processes cost over $17,000 per person.
- New Pope’s Social Media Posts Reveal Push Back on Anti-Immigrant Policies and Rhetoric
Multiple past social media posts from Robert Prevost, newly named Pope Leo XIV have drawn attention for their pointed take on U.S. immigration policies.
In one, he shared an article critiquing the vice president’s statements on deportation of migrants, and he retweeted Nayib Bukele’s response to the deportation of El Salvadorian national Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a resident of Maryland.
Ag Secretary Rollins Reaffirms Commitment To Helping Fix Labor Issues, AEWR
- Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins reaffirmed her commitment to addressing the financial strain the H-2A guestworker program’s Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) places on farmers. Rollins called it a top priority and emphasized the need to support small farmers and reform a system she believes is threatening their survival.
Enforcement
Fears Spike as ICE Agents Raid D.C. Restaurants Asking for I-9 Forms
ICE raids at some popular D.C. restaurants alarmed business owners, residents and workers this week. Watch this Fox News segment showing the raids and local reaction.
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Rumors of raids rattled communities in the surrounding suburbs in Maryland as well.
“People are no longer scared. They’re terrified. Our community feels vulnerable, they feel like they’re being hunted,” Father Vidal Rivas, St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Hyattsville, M.D.
More Fights in the Courts
A U.S. judge ruled that the Trump administration cannot deport migrants to Libya, stating it would violate a previous court order requiring officials to assess the risk of persecution or torture before deporting migrants to a third country.
- Court Halts Trump Administration’s Conditions on Homeless Aid Tied to Immigration Enforcement
A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from imposing new conditions on federal homeless assistance funds. The administration had sought to tie funding to local governments’ compliance with stricter immigration enforcement and other policy demands. The court ruled that these conditions were unauthorized by Congress and unrelated to the grants’ intended purposes.
Two federal judges blocked the Trump administration on Tuesday from using the Alien Enemies Act to deport migrants, ruling that the wartime law, which offers minimal due process, shouldn’t be applied in immigration cases.
Get Involved
- Join one of ABIC’s Councils of 100 and let your voice be heard with your peers – sign up here. The Council of 100 is a coalition of top business leaders working to advance common-sense workforce solutions.
- Share your story: If your business is interested in engaging with the press as part of ABIC or amplifying your story on social media, take this quick survey to let us know your preferences.
Key Employer Resources:
Always available: ABIC Employer Resources Folder
ABIC in the news. . .
- Newsweek: Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Has US Employers Worried: Poll (5/9/25)
- New Americas, From Venezuela To Victory: Kentucky Derby Champ Rides Through Immigration Hurdles To Make History, (5/8/25)
- Bluebook, Playing Politics: An Industry in Flux, (5/8/25)
- Newsweek: Horse Racing Industry Sends Warning to Trump Ahead of Kentucky Derby(5/2/25)
- Courier-Journal: Horse racing groups call for immigration reform to protect backside track workers (5/1/25)
- Bloodhorse: Industry Calls for Reforms for its Immigrant Workers (5/1/25)
- Thoroughbred Daily News: Critical Point – industry works toward immigration reform (5/1/25)
- Horse Racing Nation: Racing leaders urge immigration reform for backside workers (5/1/25)
- DRF: Coalition rallies better visa and citizenship process for immigrant backstretch workers (5/1/25)
- Thoroughbred Daily News: Amid Immigration Crackdown, Possible Opportunity For Immigrant Backstretch Workers (5/1/25)
- WDRB: Coffee with Crawford (4/30/25)
- NPR: The Horse-Racing Industry Needs Workers On Visas. Employers Hope To Still Get Them. (4/22/25)
- TexasGOPVote, President Trump Floats Slowing Deportation of Migrant Farm and Hotel Workers and Finding Paths to Legal Work (4/17/25)
- AgDaily, Trump proposes legal path for undocumented farmworkers (4/11/25)
- Newsweek: Donald Trump Says Millions of Illegal Immigrants Could Be Allowed to Return (4/11/25)
- (4/10/25)
Newsweek: Business Leaders Call for More Work Visas Amid Trump’s Crackdown (4/10/25) - NBC: Trump Floats Plan For Undocumented Farm And Hotel Workers To Work Legally In The U.S. (4/10/25)
- Newsmax: Trump Says He’ll Slow Deportations of Farm, Hotel Workers (4/10/25)
- Latin Times: How Trump’s Mass Deportations Efforts Are Affecting Legal Migrants: ‘We Are Living in an Era of Maximum Enforcement (4/9/25)
- The New York Times: As Trump Squeezes the Immigrant Work Force, Employers Seek Relief (3/31/25)
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