Fearful Farmers Rush To Find 'Guest Workers'
Immigration lawyers are getting a wave of calls from farmers looking for foreign "guest workers." The farmers are worried that they'll lose their existing workers to an immigration crackdown.
Dan Fazio says his phone is "ringing off the hook" these days.
He's executive director of WAFLA, an organization that helps fruit growers in Washington state find workers — and specifically, foreign workers who are allowed to enter the U.S. specifically as seasonal workers on farms.
WAFLA takes care of the bureaucratic details. It applies for permission from the Department of Labor to bring in workers for specific jobs. It certifies that it" get a special visa, called an H-2A visa, that lets them stay in the country temporarily, usually for no more than 10 months. WAFLA brings them by bus to the fields and orchards of Washington.
