Trump DoL Nominee Questioned on H-2A, H-2B Visa Elimination

Reliance on H-2A and H-2B Visas

• 💡 Colorado's agricultural economy heavily relies on H-2A visas for workers to harvest crops like Rocky Ford cantaloupes and Palisade peaches, ensuring fresh, quality food.
• 🎯 The state's outdoor recreational sector, including ski areas, depends on H-2B visas to staff operations.
• ⚠️ Employers are offering wages of $20-22 per hour for agricultural labor but are struggling to find domestic workers.

Nominee's Stance on Visa Programs

• 📌 The nominee, Mr. Barry, was involved in writing a chapter for Project 2025 that called for the elimination of H-2A and H-2B visa programs.
• 🗣️ When questioned about advocating for the end of these visas, Barry stated his role as Solicitor of Labor would be to enforce the law, not make policy.
• 📈 He suggested that any phase-out of these programs should be gradual, capped, predictable, and supported by investments in agricultural technology to improve worker productivity.

Child Labor Enforcement

• ⚠️ A $1.5 million civil penalty was levied against Packer Sanitation Services for employing children with hazardous machinery.
• 🤝 Senators have pressed major companies accused of child labor exploitation to cease these practices.
• 🔍 The Biden administration has launched a national initiative to prioritize and investigate egregious child labor violations.
• 🎯 Mr. Rogers affirmed that the Wage and Hour Division will double down on enforcement of child labor laws, utilizing available resources and data.