Rep. Neal Dunn: ‘Congress must put our farmers ahead of the radical left’

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) - Thursday, Florida Congressman Neal Dunn (Florida-02) released a statement after voting “in support of Florida farmers and a healthy long-term fix to” the H-2A agricultural guest worker program.

This bill allows allows U.S. employers or U.S. agents who meet specific regulatory requirements to bring foreign nationals to the U.S. to fill temporary agricultural jobs and apply for “Certified Agricultural Worker” status. Their children and spouses are also allowed to apply for this status.

The Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021, or H.R. 1603, passed the House 247 to 174.

After an additional period of agricultural work, CAW workers may apply for a green card. These workers would be eligible for CAW status even if they illegally re-entered the U.S., committed immigration fraud, voted illegally in a federal or state election, or committed certain other crimes, according to Rep. Dun. Once eligible for CAW status, the worker is protected from being detained or removed from the U.S.

You can read Rep. Dunn’s full statement below:

Instead of supporting our nation’s farmers with commonsense reform, Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats are pushing mass amnesty to over one million illegal immigrants. Farmers need long-term wage rate relief and accessibility to workers in the H-2A program to compete internationally. This bill fails to meet those needs. If we want the agriculture industry to thrive, Congress must put our farmers ahead of the radical left.