Abstract

This study explores circular, transnational H-2A labor migration between Northern Veracruz, Mexico, and Washington state, USA. While the H-2A program offers a regulated alternative to unauthorized immigration and provides economic opportunity for foreign workers, concerns persist. As employers increasingly outsource low-wage labor through unregulated third-party recruitment agencies, workers face heightened risks of exploitation and abuse, both during transit and in the U.S. This qualitative research, based on in-depth interviews and focus groups with 12 indigenous and mestizo farmworkers who participated in the H-2A program, highlights issues in recruitment, working conditions, and abuse. The findings confirm existing concerns about guest worker vulnerability and also suggest gaps in the literature on temporary labor migration. New insights include the potential of “mobile enclave” recruitment in collective cultures and the introduction of a migratory pathways assessment tool. With increasing H-2A job certifications and recruitment expanding into indigenous territories in Central America, the study calls for greater oversight and accountability in foreign labor regulations and recruitment processes, emphasizing the importance of migrant worker agency and community autonomy.

Resumen

Este estudio analiza la migración laboral circular H-2A entre el norte de Veracruz, México y Washington, EE.UU. Aunque el programa H-2A ofrece una alternativa regulada a la inmigración no autorizada y oportunidades económicas, persisten preocupaciones. La creciente subcontratación de mano de obra mediante agencias no reguladas expone a los trabajadores a explotación y abuso, tanto en tránsito como en EE.UU. A través de entrevistas a profundidad y grupos focales con 12 trabajadores agrícolas indígenas y mestizos, esta investigación cualitativa examina el reclutamiento, las condiciones laborales y los abusos. Los hallazgos confirman la vulnerabilidad de los trabajadores huéspedes y revelan vacíos en la literatura sobre migración laboral temporal. Se introduce el concepto de “enclave móvil” en culturas colectivas y un instrumento de evaluación de vías migratorias. Ante el aumento de certificaciones H-2A y la expansión del reclutamiento a territorios indígenas en Centroamérica, el estudio urge mayor supervisión y rendición de cuentas en las regulaciones laborales y procesos de reclutamiento. Se enfatiza la importancia de la agencia de los migrantes y la autonomía comunitaria.

Citas

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