A Colorado corporation that imported foreign workers instead of hiring Americans, was sued by Jeff Sessions’ DOJ for refusing to hire American citizens and putting conditions on their employment that was not placed on the foreign workers. Americans had to take drug tests and undergo background checks that foreign workers did not. In one case an American was turned down because they said he wasn’t proficient enough in English, but the company hired someone that spoke no English at all.
Crop Production Services, Inc. out of Loveland, Colorado, used the H-2A visas to staff their company but US law says that companies must first hire any American wanting to work before calling on the H-2A to complete their staffs. CPS was ordered to pay every American turned down for a job $18,738.75 each. They also had to pay a civil fine of $10,500 and will have to undergo training on US labor law.
“There will be zero tolerance for companies that violate the Immigration and Nationality Act by hiring foreign visa holders over U.S. workers,” Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Civil Rights Division said in a statement. “The Division’s Protecting U.S. Workers Initiative is committed to fighting discriminatory hiring practices that prevent qualified U.S. workers from obtaining jobs, and we commend Texas RioGrande Legal Aid for bringing this matter to our attention.”
The DOJ complaint alleged that Crop Production hit American workers with tougher job requirements than they did foreign workers on H-2A visas in order to discourage Americans from taking jobs at the company’s Texas facility. According to the DOJ, American workers were forced to complete background checks and drug tests, while the imported foreign workers were allowed to begin working before completing either of the job requirements.
Part of making America great again is making sure Americans can get the jobs they need. Let this be a shot over the bow of companies who try to circumvent US labor law to hire cheap foreign labor.
