To provide eligibility for certain aliens performing agricultural labor or services to apply for agricultural worker nonimmigrant status, and for other purposes.
Legislative Progress
IntroducedMr. Van Orden introduced the following bill; which was referred …
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Agriculture Workforce Reform Act of 2025 creates a 3-year window for undocumented agricultural workers to obtain legal work status in the United States. To qualify, workers must have performed farm labor for at least 2 years since January 2021 and must not have unlawfully received public benefits. The bill waives certain immigration violations that would normally bar re-entry, allowing these workers to leave and legally return to work in agriculture.
Who Benefits and How
Agricultural employers (farms, ranches, food processors) benefit significantly by gaining access to a legal workforce they may have previously employed without documentation. The bill explicitly shields employers from prosecution for past violations of immigration employment laws. This stabilizes their labor supply during chronic agricultural worker shortages.
Undocumented farmworkers with 2+ years of agricultural experience gain the ability to obtain legal nonimmigrant status for 3-year renewable periods. They become immune from deportation under several removal grounds and can travel outside the U.S. and return legally. This provides job security, ability to travel, and protection from immigration enforcement.
Immigration attorneys and agricultural labor contractors see increased business from processing applications and managing the new visa program.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Covered aliens and their employers must each pay a fee of at least $2,500 (total $5,000+ per worker). This creates a significant upfront cost, though presumably less than the value of legal status.
American agricultural workers may face continued wage competition from a now-legal workforce that historically accepted lower wages. The bill does not include wage floor protections.
Taxpayers bear administrative costs of implementing the program. There may also be long-term costs if workers eventually access benefits, though the bill explicitly excludes those who received public benefits from eligibility.
Key Provisions
- Eligibility window: 3-year "covered period" after enactment for qualifying workers to apply
- Work requirement: Must have worked in U.S. agriculture for at least 2 years since January 1, 2021
- Immigration waivers: Waives inadmissibility grounds related to unlawful presence and prior removal, and suspends certain deportation grounds
- Fees: Both worker and employer must pay minimum $2,500 each
- Employer immunity: Shields employers from prosecution for past employment of undocumented workers
- Renewable status: 3-year work authorization periods with renewal option
- Public benefits bar: Disqualifies anyone who unlawfully received federal, state, or local public benefits
Evidence Chain:
This summary is derived from the structured analysis below. See "Detailed Analysis" for per-title beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
Primary Purpose
Provides a pathway for undocumented agricultural workers to obtain temporary legal work status by waiving certain inadmissibility and removal grounds during a 3-year covered period
Policy Domains
Legislative Strategy
"Create a temporary legalization pathway for undocumented agricultural workers to stabilize farm labor supply while requiring payment of substantial fees"
Likely Beneficiaries
- Agricultural employers facing labor shortages
- Undocumented agricultural workers who have worked at least 2 years
- Immigration attorneys processing applications
Likely Burden Bearers
- Covered aliens (must pay $2,500 fee)
- Employers (must pay $2,500 fee per worker)
- Taxpayers (potential long-term costs if workers remain)
- Workers competing with lower-wage agricultural labor
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Labor
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
The period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, and ending on the date that is 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act
An alien who: (A) during the period beginning on January 1, 2021, and ending on the date of the alien's departure or removal from the United States, performed agricultural labor or services described in section 101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(a) in the United States for a total of not less than 2 years, whether or not the alien was lawfully present in the United States during such period; and (B) while present in the United States, did not unlawfully receive a Federal public benefit or a State or local public benefit
As described in section 101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (H-2A visa program) - temporary or seasonal agricultural work
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology