𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐑𝐎 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐌 𝟐.𝟎, 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐘 𝐑𝐄𝐏. 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐀 𝐃𝐄 𝐋𝐀 𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐙, 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐋𝐎𝐖 𝐖𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐍𝐎 𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐇 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐙𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏

 Sources: Texas Tribune, Border Report

Representative Monica De La Cruz

The U.S. agricultural industry has been grappling with a severe labor shortage in recent years, driven in large part by immigration enforcement efforts that have reduced the number of available workers. Many farms rely heavily on seasonal labor, much of it from undocumented immigrants. But crackdowns on undocumented workers have left growers struggling to find enough people to work in the fields.

To help address this issue, Representative Monica De La Cruz has introduced a bill called the Bracero Program 2.0 Act. The legislation seeks to revamp and modernize the existing H-2A visa system, which allows foreign nationals to work temporarily in U.S. agriculture. The goal is to create a more efficient legal pathway for migrant workers to fill vital jobs on American farms.

The new bill draws inspiration from the original Bracero Program, which ran from 1942 to 1964 and brought Mexican laborers to the U.S. to work in agriculture and other industries. De La Cruz’s version proposes several key changes to improve the current system. It includes raising wages for H-2A workers to ensure fair pay, simplifying the application process for employers, and launching a pilot program that would let workers change jobs within the same state without reapplying for a visa. This added flexibility is designed to help both workers and employers respond more easily to shifting labor demands during harvest seasons.

Another concern is the low wages proposed.  While current U.S. wages range from $14 per hour in Arkansas to $19+ in California, the new Bracero Program is offering the U.S. Minimum Wage of $7.25 plus $2.00 for a $9.25 total.

Farm labor shortages have been building for years, but they worsened during the Trump administration, when increased immigration raids led to many undocumented workers being detained or deported. In places like Hidalgo County, Texas, an estimated 80% of the agricultural workforce is made up of undocumented immigrants, according to the National Center for Farmworker Health. Without these workers, many farms find it nearly impossible to maintain operations during peak seasons.

While the Bracero Program 2.0 Act is seen by many as a step forward, it does not address all aspects of the issue. Critics point out that it offers no path to legalization for the millions of undocumented farmworkers who are already living and working in the U.S. This omission has been a sticking point in broader immigration debates. Opponents argue that any meaningful reform must also consider the status of existing undocumented workers, many of whom have contributed to the U.S. economy for years.

Migrant labor has long been the backbone of the American agricultural system, particularly as fewer U.S. citizens are willing to take on demanding and low-paying farm jobs. The Bracero Program 2.0 Act attempts to strike a balance between the need for labor and the demand for stronger immigration enforcement. By providing a legal and structured way for migrant workers to enter and move within the system, the bill aims to help stabilize a sector in crisis.

Still, experts and advocates say the bill is only a partial solution. Without a more comprehensive approach to immigration reform, one that includes protections or legal status for undocumented workers already in the country, farm labor shortages may continue to pose long-term challenges.

As the legislation moves forward, its success will depend not only on political support but also on whether it can be part of a broader strategy to reform how the U.S. manages its agricultural workforce. For now, the Bracero Program 2.0 offers a starting point for that much-needed conversation.