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Congress·In Committee·18 days ago

Rep. Jayapal's Bill Would Cap Foreign Farmworkers at 400,000 Annually, Exempt Union Jobs

Also known as: U.S. Farmworker Protection Act

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
House
Senate
President

Impact Analysis

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

State Impacts

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Key Points

  • This bill would set a hard limit on the number of temporary foreign farmworkers allowed into the country each year. The Department of Labor would be restricted to approving no more than 400,000 H-2A visa positions annually.
  • The proposal includes a major exception: any farmworker position covered by a labor union or a collective bargaining agreement would not count toward the 400,000-person cap. This is intended to encourage unionization in the agricultural sector.
  • Supporters of the bill, led by Representative Jayapal, argue that the H-2A program has grown too fast, jumping from about 82,000 workers in 2008 to nearly 385,000 in 2024. They believe this rapid growth makes it harder for American citizens to find farm jobs and keeps wages low for everyone.
  • If passed, this would mark the first time the H-2A program has had a national limit. Currently, there is no cap on how many temporary agricultural workers can be brought in, as long as employers can prove they could not find enough local workers to do the job.
ImmigrationLabor EmploymentAgriculture

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Feb 12, 2026House

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Feb 12, 2026

Introduced in House

Related News

3 articles
South Kern Sol·11 days ago

New Proposed Bill Would Cap H-2A Visas at 400,000 a Year

Introduced by Rep. Jayapal, the Protect U.S. Farmworkers Act seeks to cap H-2A visas at 400,000 annually to prevent the program's 'runaway growth.' The bill includes an exception for union-protected positions and follows a lawsuit against wage cuts for farmworkers.

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Washington Policy Center·16 days ago

From 'Hate Free' to Anti-Immigrant: The Shift in Jayapal's Farmworker Policy

Critique of the Protect U.S. Farmworkers Act, arguing that the 400,000 cap and union exception are designed to force unionization rather than protect workers. The author claims the bill would rob H-2A visa holders of earnings and disrupt the need-based approval process.

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Daily Kos·6 days ago

UFW Demands H2A Visa Cap After Latest Forced Labor and Trafficking Incident

Coverage of the United Farm Workers' endorsement of the Protect U.S. Farmworkers Act. The article links the need for a 400,000 visa cap to recent federal indictments for human trafficking and forced labor within the H-2A guest worker program.

L+

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

U.S. Farmworker Protection Act

Bill NumberHR 7541
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(8)
D: 8

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.