Midwest and Southwest states see major increase in temporary H-2A workers, despite slow growth in program

Every state in the country has seen an increase in temporary agricultural visa workers since 2018. These workers enter the country on H-2A visas, which allow companies and farms to hire seasonal labor.

Southwest states such as Texas and New Mexico have seen drastic increases in the number of workers actively laboring in the state since workplace data became available in 2018. New Mexico started with just 308 visa workers harvesting crops in 2018. Last year, the state had 2,431 H-2A workers.

H-2A visas continue to increase year over year, but the program’s overall number of new visas slowed from 2024 to 2025, when the increase was less than a single percentage point.

These visas have a documented history of wage theft and poor working conditions. Workers come to the country under the visa program and rarely speak out about labor abuses, as their status is directly tied to their employment.

The Trump administration has supported H-2A visas and other temporary visa programs. Last year, the U.S. Department of Labor created an Office of Immigration Policy to help employers meet labor needs.

This slowdown in new visa holders comes at a time when the administration has carried out deportation raids across the country, many of which have affected agricultural and food processing operations. The Trump administration has also announced bans on visa programs affecting dozens of countries worldwide.

Data Harvest (formerly Graphic of the Week) is Investigate Midwest’s way of making complex agricultural data easy to understand. Through engaging graphics, charts, and maps, we break down key trends to help readers quickly grasp the forces shaping farming, food systems, and rural communities. Want us to explore other data trends? Let us know here.