Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits, and Security Act of 2005

H.R. 884, the Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits, and Security Act of 2005, proposes a two-part overhaul of the legal framework for foreign agricultural labor in the United States. First, it creates a pathway for undocumented farmworkers to earn legal temporary residency and eventual permanent residency if they meet specific requirements for past and future agricultural work. Second, the bill reforms the existing H-2A temporary worker program by streamlining the employer application process while establishing new standards for worker wages, housing, and transportation.

For citizens, the bill aims to stabilize the domestic food supply chain by ensuring a legal and consistent labor force for American farms. It also seeks to balance employer needs with labor protections by requiring farmers to attempt to hire U.S. workers first and maintaining federal oversight of agricultural wage standards. While the bill was introduced in 2005 and referred to a subcommittee, it has not been enacted into law.