U.S. Representative Monica De La Cruz has committed to exploring new avenues for allowing migrants to work legally within the construction sector. The Edinburg Republican made this announcement on Monday, expressing her intention to engage with the U.S. Department of Labor following concerns raised by South Texas builders regarding the detrimental impact of immigration arrests at construction sites.
De La Cruz proposed the establishment of a specialized visa program for construction workers, akin to the H-2A visa system that currently permits foreign nationals to work in agriculture. “We’d like to see where the construction industry would fit,” she remarked.
The backdrop to this initiative is a significant increase in immigration enforcement under the previous administration, which saw over 9,100 arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in South Texas during the past year. De La Cruz emphasized her role as a representative for her constituents, stating, “They elected me to represent them in Washington, D.C., and to be their voice, even when it pushes against the Trump administration. At the end of the day, I want to represent South Texas, and I want to represent our community and make sure that we continue to be prosperous.”
There is a growing interest among Republican lawmakers to develop a new classification for legal workers, indicating a potential shift from the more hardline immigration policies previously championed. Many within the party, influenced by Trump’s tenure, have advocated for stricter immigration measures, arguing that such actions would make more jobs available for American citizens. However, a year later, some congressional members are seeking a more balanced approach.
Recently, U.S. Representative Lloyd Smucker from Pennsylvania revived his 2023 proposal, the Essential Workers for Economic Advancement Act, which aims to create a new visa category for nonagricultural workers. De La Cruz’s support for a new visa status for construction workers was bolstered by discussions with the South Texas Builders Association on Monday.
In a closed meeting, builders expressed their concerns about the challenges facing the construction industry, particularly the rights of workers when ICE targets their sites. Mario Guerrero, executive director of the association, noted, “We’re trying to figure out what rules apply with all these raids that are happening, if there’s any that do apply, because we’re not really being informed if people need to show warrants or not. She’s willing to figure that out and get us that answer.”
For months, the threat of ICE raids has deterred workers across various sectors, including construction and restaurants. The construction industry’s issues gained renewed attention after Guerrero organized a significant gathering of industry leaders in November, which attracted over 300 participants from various fields, including lumber, real estate, banking, and construction.
Attendees shared their experiences of how ICE arrests have led to stalled projects. Since that meeting, Guerrero and the Builders Association have engaged with congressional leaders, including De La Cruz and U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar, a Democrat from Laredo who co-sponsored Smucker’s bill. “We’re trying to do the right thing,” Guerrero stated. “If we need to keep having these meetings in order for us to keep moving in the right direction, that’s what we’re trying to do.”
This is not the first time De La Cruz has advocated for changes to immigration laws. Last year, she introduced the Bracero 2.0 bill, aimed at addressing labor issues in agriculture by modifying the H-2A visa program. The legislation intended to simplify the application process for agricultural employers and initiate a regional pilot program that would allow workers to switch jobs within a state without reapplying for a visa. It also proposed pay for H-2A workers to equal the state’s minimum wage plus an additional $2.00 per hour and to extend H-2A contracts from 10 to 12 months.
Although the bill has not been voted on, the Department of Homeland Security implemented new regulations in October to streamline the application process for H-2A workers.
