‘NOT what people voted for...!’ Florida Gov. DeSantis calls out new federal bill

ORLANDO, Fla. – This week, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis took to social media to call out legislation that’s being considered by federal lawmakers.

That legislation — dubbed the “Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act of 2026″ — was initially introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives late last month by Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-Pennsylvania).

The bill is aimed at updating rules for the H-2A visa program, which allows employers to hire foreign workers for temporary agricultural jobs.

WHAT THE BILL DOES

According to the House Committee on Agriculture and the bill’s text, the following reforms are included in the legislation:

• Expands Which Jobs Can Use H-2A: Removes a requirement that H-2A visas be for seasonal jobs, which has previously excluded sectors of the agriculture industry like dairy from eligibility under the program.
• Broadens Types of Agricultural Work: Ensures that activities like controlled environment agriculture, forestry, aquaculture and the “harvest” of livestock would be eligible for the program.
• Stabilizes H-2A Wage Increases: Codifies a wage method based on federal data and ties higher pay to jobs that need more experience.
• Online Platform Creation: Mandates the creation of an online platform for timely correspondence between employers, workers and agencies.
• Unauthorized Farmworkers Pathway: Creates an opportunity for existing unauthorized agricultural workers to gain access to the program if they’re otherwise eligible.

WHAT’S THE CONTROVERSY?

Proponents of the legislation — such as cosponsor Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) — argue that it will help farmers, ranchers and other agricultural employers struggling with a lack of domestic labor.

But under the bill, certain undocumented migrants who are already employed in agricultural positions would be allowed to apply for H-2A legal status.

This has prompted opponents like DeSantis to say that the program allows for de-facto amnesty.

However, it should be noted that the proposal doesn’t include a pathway to citizenship.

While the measure is still in committee, the debate is likely to resonate in Florida, where agriculture remains a major employer and immigration enforcement is a prominent political issue.

If the bill is approved and signed into law, though, it’s set to take effect one year after the date of enactment.