De La Cruz: The Bracero Program 2.0 is now my top legislative priority

MISSION, Texas – U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz says now that she has helped force Mexico to comply with its water treaty obligations she is turning her attention to immigration reform.

Speaking at a press conference in Mission on Friday, July 18, the Edinburg Republican said she has introduced the Bracero Program 2.0 Act. 

Bracero means manual laborer in Spanish. The original Bracero Program was a temporary labor initiative between the United States and Mexico that allowed Mexican workers to be employed in the U.S. agricultural and railroad industries from 1942 to 1964.

The press conference was co-hosted by Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller at the offices of Texas Citrus Mutual. De La Cruz and Miller handed out checks as compensation to Rio Grande Valley farmers whose crop production had to cease due to lack of irrigation water.

De La Cruz said securing the compensation was “the first stop of many stops in helping the agriculture industry.”

She continued: “As many of you learned, earlier this week we launched the Bracero Program 2.0. We have received such great feedback from our farming and ranching associations. Everybody from the Texas Farm Bureau to the Watermelon Association has become out in support of this important legislation, because now that we have gotten on the path of holding Mexico accountable for the water that they owe us, now it’s important that we have immigration policy to bring legal immigrants here to help us with the labor that is so much needed.

“So, the Bracero Program will not only streamline the application for our farmers and ranchers, it’ll stabilize wages for the laborers who are working our farms. And it will also include greenhouses and indoor farming. So, this legislation is an exciting piece that I cannot wait to get across the House floor and onto the President’s desk.”

Asked by veteran broadcaster Ron Whitlock if the legislation will pass the U.S. House, De La Cruz said:

“I am working very hard along with my team to get that passed. It is our Number One priority right now. So I invite you to keep in contact with us.”

In a press release, De La Cruz said legislation aims to stabilize the agricultural workforce and disincentivize undocumented border crossings by reforming and streamlining the H-2A visa program.

“For decades, the Bracero Program created new opportunities for millions and provided critical support for Texas agriculture. I am leading efforts to revive the Bracero spirit by reforming H-2A visas. This will provide solutions desperately needed for hard-working immigrants. With workforce shortages challenging our communities, the Bracero Program 2.0 will bring stability and certainty for South Texas,” De La Cruz said.

The press release points out that De La Cruz served on the House Committee on Agriculture’s Bipartisan Ag Labor Working Group. It says the Bracero Program 2.0 Act includes many of the policy recommendations from the group’s final report and the policy recommendations from farmers who participated in an “ag labor roundtable” De La Cruz hosted in South Texas earlier this year.

The press release said the Bracero Program 2.0 Act will:

• Streamline the H-2A application process into a single, centralized electronic portal, reducing administrative burden, time, and costs for employers participating in the program.

• Expand the H-2A program to include greenhouses and indoor farms.

• Ensure fair and predictable compensation for H-2A workers by setting the wage rate to the state’s minimum wage plus $2.00 per hour.

• Extend H-2A contracts from 10 months or less to 12 months.

• Provide workers with a regional labor permit valid for agricultural work within a specified state, allowing permit holders to change employers in the same sector without reapplying for a visa.

• Ensure accountability by requiring the GAO to report on H-2A Program Integrity within one year.

• Prioritize the safety of workers by requiring the GAO to report on H-2A Worker Protections and Enforcement, including any workplace violations, unsafe working conditions, unsafe living conditions, and underpayment of wages. 

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