Harvesting Dreams: The Legal Path for Guatemalan Workers in US Agriculture

In light of Donald Trump’s impending presidency, which is expected to intensify focus on undocumented immigration, it’s important to highlight the legal avenues available for certain Central American migrants seeking work in the U.S. One such path is through the H-2A visa program, which allows around 5,000 Guatemalans like Sandra Noemi Bucu Saz to work legally on U.S. farms for up to 12 months.

Sandra recently returned to Guatemala after a successful strawberry picking stint in California, where she earned significantly more than her usual $10 daily wage in Guatemala. The H-2A visa program is designed for American farms that struggle to find local labor and allows them to employ foreign workers on a temporary basis.

Sandra’s story reflects the struggles and aspirations of many Guatemalans. After being scammed for thousands of dollars while trying to obtain a work visa, she found a legitimate route through Cierto, a recruitment firm that connects workers to employers without charging them fees. This highlights the need for trusted recruitment to prevent exploitation and fraud that has plagued many hopeful migrants.

Despite the legal pathways, there remains a significant number of undocumented Guatemalans in the U.S., estimated at 675,000, contributing to economic pressures that push families into dangerous and costly decisions, often taking loans against their homes to pay for smuggling fees. Remittances from the U.S. play a crucial role in supporting Guatemalan families and the national economy, amounting to $19.8 billion in 2023.

Optimism for the H-2A program’s future persists, with recruitment organization leaders believing that opportunities will remain stable, even as concerns grow over potential compromises in worker protections under Trump’s administration. Stories of individuals like Héctor Benjamín Xoc Xar show the transformative impact accessible work opportunities can have on families, making education feasible for the next generation.