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The hearing was held by the House Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security and International Law. It was held to address the concerns of employers who have been shut out of the H-2B guest laborer program, and allegations of employer abuses from the Southern Poverty Law Center.
The latter allegations centered on workers from India who were allegedly mistreated by Signal International, a marine construction company with contracts in a Pascagoula, Miss., shipyard.
Bill Zammer of Cape Cod Restaurants, Inc., an H-2B employer, was a panel witness during the PLANET visit. He criticized the Southern Poverty Law Center?EUR??,,????'?????<
Meanwhile, Arizona?EUR??,,????'?????< With a jobless rate that is creeping higher, it has dawned on lawmakers that an enforcement-only strategy may inflict a lethal blow to state employers in landscaping, hospitality, construction and other industries, all of which have depended on a steady supply of low-skilled immigrant workers. And while the economic slowdown has somewhat eased the demand for workers, especially in construction, chances are slim that Arizona?EUR??,,????'?????< So now, with far less fanfare, the legislature is pushing through a measure calling for an Arizona-specific temporary guest-worker pilot program. The bill, which has bipartisan backing, would relieve labor shortages in certain industries by allowing qualifying companies to recruit workers in Mexico for a two-year term of employment. That would need congressional or federal approval, which, given recent history, may be problematic, to say the least. Washington Testimony Representative Bart Stupak (D-MI) was also a witness and stated that Congress will need to act immediately in extending the H-2B returning worker program to save America?EUR??,,????'?????< Employers continue to face increased immigration enforcement pressure from the federal government, as well as state and local governments. Yet, Congress has failed to fix the one program that allows the landscape industry to maintain its commitment to a legal workforce ?EUR??,,????'?????< PLANET estimates that the approximately 2,800 landscape companies participating in H-2B spend about $77.28 million annually just on landscape equipment. In addition, they spend approximately $115.36 million annually on fleet vehicles, $2.8 million on payroll services, $6 million annually on computers, $4.3 million annually on tires, and $13.6 million on cell phones and wireless radios. ?EUR??,,????'?????< Benefits American Jobs It is estimated that 2.5 American jobs are tied to each H-2B seasonal worker. There are stringent rules on advertising these jobs to Americans, and companies must work diligently to try to fill these positions with American workers before they are opened up to guest workers. These companies go through an intensive recruitment period in an attempt to hire Americans and must prove that they cannot find Americans to take the jobs. They would gladly hire American workers if they could. ?EUR??,,????'?????< Increased enforcement efforts and a plethora of new and sometimes conflicting state and local immigration laws underscore the need for comprehensive immigration reform. It is clear, however, that legislative efforts to address broader immigration issues are unlikely to succeed this season. The landscape industry is already suffering major loses as a result of the expiration of the H-2B returning worker exemption and cannot wait until some type of broader immigration compromise can be reached. PLANET, working in tandem with other industries impacted by H-2B legislative reform, is a key component in gaining extension of the program. Particularly since this program provides employment relief for one of the fastest growing industries in the nation?EUR??,,????'?????< PLANET is an association of members who create and maintain beauty and quality of life in communities across America. With more than 4,200 member companies and affiliates, these firms and their employees represent more than 100,000 green industry professionals. To learn more, visit LandcareNetwork.org or call the PLANET office at (800) 395-2522. Sources: Professional Landcare Network, Washington Post
With a jobless rate that is creeping higher, it has dawned on lawmakers that an enforcement-only strategy may inflict a lethal blow to state employers in landscaping, hospitality, construction and other industries, all of which have depended on a steady supply of low-skilled immigrant workers. And while the economic slowdown has somewhat eased the demand for workers, especially in construction, chances are slim that Arizona?EUR??,,????'?????<
So now, with far less fanfare, the legislature is pushing through a measure calling for an Arizona-specific temporary guest-worker pilot program. The bill, which has bipartisan backing, would relieve labor shortages in certain industries by allowing qualifying companies to recruit workers in Mexico for a two-year term of employment. That would need congressional or federal approval, which, given recent history, may be problematic, to say the least.
Representative Bart Stupak (D-MI) was also a witness and stated that Congress will need to act immediately in extending the H-2B returning worker program to save America?EUR??,,????'?????<
Employers continue to face increased immigration enforcement pressure from the federal government, as well as state and local governments. Yet, Congress has failed to fix the one program that allows the landscape industry to maintain its commitment to a legal workforce ?EUR??,,????'?????<
PLANET estimates that the approximately 2,800 landscape companies participating in H-2B spend about $77.28 million annually just on landscape equipment. In addition, they spend approximately $115.36 million annually on fleet vehicles, $2.8 million on payroll services, $6 million annually on computers, $4.3 million annually on tires, and $13.6 million on cell phones and wireless radios.
?EUR??,,????'?????<
It is estimated that 2.5 American jobs are tied to each H-2B seasonal worker. There are stringent rules on advertising these jobs to Americans, and companies must work diligently to try to fill these positions with American workers before they are opened up to guest workers. These companies go through an intensive recruitment period in an attempt to hire Americans and must prove that they cannot find Americans to take the jobs. They would gladly hire American workers if they could.
Increased enforcement efforts and a plethora of new and sometimes conflicting state and local immigration laws underscore the need for comprehensive immigration reform. It is clear, however, that legislative efforts to address broader immigration issues are unlikely to succeed this season. The landscape industry is already suffering major loses as a result of the expiration of the H-2B returning worker exemption and cannot wait until some type of broader immigration compromise can be reached.
PLANET, working in tandem with other industries impacted by H-2B legislative reform, is a key component in gaining extension of the program. Particularly since this program provides employment relief for one of the fastest growing industries in the nation?EUR??,,????'?????<
PLANET is an association of members who create and maintain beauty and quality of life in communities across America. With more than 4,200 member companies and affiliates, these firms and their employees represent more than 100,000 green industry professionals. To learn more, visit LandcareNetwork.org or call the PLANET office at (800) 395-2522.
Sources: Professional Landcare Network, Washington Post
Francisco Uviña, University of New Mexico
Hardscape Oasis in Litchfield Park
Ash Nochian, Ph.D. Landscape Architect
November 12th, 2025
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