Author Description

The connection between farm labor and immigration policies reemerged as an issue in the Congress and was under discussion by the Bush and Fox Administrations before the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. President Bush's remarks in December 2003 about a broad-based temporary foreign worker program have reignited interest in the issue. Questions have again arisen about whether enough workers are available domestically to meet the requirements of farmers and how, if at all, the Congress should change immigration policy, which has long been linked with the seasonal needs of crop growers for direct-hire and contract farmworkers.