Portfolio Item 6: Research Question Lucero Villegas

CST 430 Instructor Eric Y. Tao March 7, 2013

Research Question How has the H-2A Visa affected the agricultural field in California in the past ten years? Who/Person or Group The question above can affect not only citizens in California, but also agricultural workers, undocumented individuals, and other countries as well. The citizens of California have fresh fruits and vegetables because of the labor that immigrants provide in the fields. Undocumented individuals have the ability to come into a country legally, and be able to provide for their families with the Visa. Lastly, other countries import Californias fruits and vegetables and the shortage of agricultural workers, due to the lack of Visas, can affect them negatively. What/Events or Aspect of a Topic During Obamas presidency, an alarming and increasing amount of illegal agricultural workers have been deported to their home countries. Therefore, there is now a huge problem within the United States. The shortage of agricultural workers is now real. The H-2A Visa could help with this problem, or it may not be causing any change. California Agricultural companies are now panicking because of the lack of labor and also the loss of crops and money. Where/Geographic Region or Space All of the United States is affected by this research question, and California in particular is the most affected due to its agricultural geography. California is known for having a great weather for growing crops. Moreover, this is the state to immigrate to if one is in search of jobs. Not only do immigrants come, but also large companies have

their eye on making large amount of money because of the great weather and possibilities in California. When/Time Period The last amnesty that allowed immigrants to come into the United States legally was in the year 1986. Therefore, over 25 years have passed since anyone has really been able to come into California and work freely. In the current year of 2013, many immigrants do not even want to cross the border due to the huge growth of border security. This has also been affected after the September 11th devastating event. Today, the H-2A Visa can possibly be changing this fact and allow immigrants to work in the United States legally. Personal Assumptions/Bias A bias that I may have when researching this question is the fact that my family contains many immigrants that have worked or are currently working in agriculture. So, my bias may involve that I tend to side with the implementation of allowing immigrants to come into the United States and work in any field that they please. Three Reasons The first reason why my audience needs to listen to my information is because the prices of fruits and vegetables can be affected; if agricultural labor decreases, then the prices increase. Secondly, many immigrant families would have the opportunity to work in the fields, where many U.S. citizens would not be willing to work. Thirdly, the U.S. economy can be affected by the use of the H-2A Visa, and it could increase the revenue coming into the United States. Six Resources

The following United Farm Workers Website includes information on the H-2A Visa and why the organization supports it. http://www.ufw.org The New York Times newspaper has reported information on the lack of agricultural workers and its causes. The resource of statistical compilation from the state of California can provide information on the exact amount of illegal immigrants currently working and if the numbers are decreasing. Online videos, such as the following one, contains information on what exactly the H-2A Visa is and what it would cause within the United States. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vv4ZC_BVUU Documentaries such as Independent Lens can provide facts about immigration, along with precise dates. The sixth resource that can be used for the research question can be personal interviews, such as immigrant workers that have obtained the H-2A Visa.