Federal Judge Refuses To Stop Visa Changes

Federal Judge Refuses To Stop Labor Department From Changing Immigrant Farmworker Visa Program

(AP)  A federal judge on Thursday turned down a request to stop the Bush administration from instituting new rules that will make it easier for farmers to bring in foreign work crews to harvest their spring crops.

U.S. District Judge Ricardo M. Urbina refused the request from the United Farm Workers and Farmworker Justice to stop the Labor Department from instituting new H2-A visa rules.

H2-A visas are used by the agriculture industry to hire temporary farm workers.

The groups had argued that the Bush administration's overhaul of the country's agricultural worker program would lower wages in the fields, erode labor protections and make it easier for contractors to bypass hiring legal U.S. workers.

But Urbina said they did not present enough proof that their members would "suffer immediate decreased wages, increased transportation costs or loss of employment."

The new rules go into effect Saturday, only days before the Bush administration leaves office.

___

On the Net:

Labor Department's H2-A site: http://www.foreignlaborcert.doleta.gov/h-2a.cfm