“Advocates call for more protection of migrant farmworkers”

…the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, an advocacy group that represents immigrants, says a lack of state and federal oversight of employers and the farm labor contractors that connect H-2A workers to short-staffed farms leaves them vulnerable to poor working conditions and exploitation….

… state agencies that regulate workplaces like the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity and the Michigan Occupational Health and Safety Administration are underfunded…

The center represents two H-2A workers in a legal battle against First Pick Farms…

First Pick Farms Management and HB Hive and Co. have denied any violations …

Sauvé said both H-2A and non-H-2A undocumented workers commonly face threats related to their immigration status from employers and labor contractors….

She said one way to address the problem of threats relating to immigration status — at least for H-2A workers — would be to include a path to citizenship in the program….

…a staff lawyer at the center and lead attorney on the First Pick Farms case, said the lawsuit is unique because the employer is clearly at fault and blame can’t be placed on a labor contractor….