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Lofgren, CA Reps Urge DHS to Work with Ag Community to Facilitate the Vaccination and Entry of H-2A Workers

January 25, 2022

SAN JOSE, CA – Today, U.S. Representative Zoe Lofgren (CA-19), Chair of the House Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship led nine members of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation in urging the Biden Administration to work with the agricultural community to ensure that H-2A workers can enter the United States, in time to commence work as the agricultural cycle demands, without comprising public health. The group's letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas follows an announced policy on January 22, 2022 to require all non-U.S. individuals who enter our country to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and to show proof of a Centers for Disease Control (CDC)-approved vaccination.

The Members wrote, "[W]hile we support the Administration's efforts to combat the pandemic and respect the need to protect public health, we are concerned that CDC-approved vaccinations may not be readily available in all H-2A eligible countries or in the rural areas in which such workers reside. Without additional flexibilities, this policy has the potential to further damage the agricultural sector by prohibiting H-2A workers from entering the United States to begin work as required by the agricultural cycle."

As a possible solution, the Members suggest that COVID testing and vaccinations could be provided to H-2A workers at the border, and such workers could be required to isolate as appropriate.

In addition to Lofgren, the letter was signed by Reps. Jimmy Panetta (CA-20), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Lou Correa (CA-46), Jim Costa (CA-16), John Garamendi (CA-3), Josh Harder (CA-10), Mike Thompson (CA-5), and Juan Vargas (CA-51).

The Members conclude the letter noting that "[w]hile protecting public health is a matter of national security, so too is a domestic food supply that is stable and safe. Working together with our nation's growers and workers, we are confident that the right balance to protect the national interest during these challenging times can be found."

Click here to view or download the full letter.

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