A new bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives that would bring 500,000 migrant farm workers to the United States each year. The bill is in response to complaints from farmers who say that they cannot find enough legal labor. A bill introduced in June would require all employers to use an online system, E-Verify, to ensure that all new employees are not illegal immigrants. The bill, known as H-2C, has the support of some farmers, but others say that it does not address their needs adequately. Another bill that would allow migrant workers to enter the country for 10 months at a time, and would not tie them to any one farmer, is expected to be introduced next week.
See "Lawmaker Offers Plan to Lure Migrant Farm Workers", Julia Preston, The New York Times, September 8, 2011