Farmworker wage suit against DOL grossly misinterprets H-2A program rules

It is illegal to hire farmworkers on an H-2A visa instead of qualified local farmworkers. That simple fact undermines the latest attempt to dramatically increase farm labor costs and harm family farms across Washington state.

The federal H-2A visa program is an often-misunderstood foreign worker program. For years, there have been calls to reform the complex program that requires extensive cooperation between state and federal employment agencies. Perhaps the latest suit filed to undermine the program will spur reform.

The suit filed earlier this week alleges the U.S. Department of Labor allow...