Feeling humility from time to time is not a bad thing.
I was invited to participate in a panel discussion on “Legal Labor Pathways” for agricultural jobs
in the United States. The panel was put together and moderated by the U.S. Agency for
International Development (USAID) and was to take place in early May. Unlike many of the
opportunities we receive to discuss important ag labor issues, this panel was not going to take
place in Washington, D.C.
This panel took place in the capital of Guatemala, Guatemala City.
NCAE has been engaging with the Ministries of Labor for the countries of Northern Central
America (Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras), for the last several years. We have also been
working with USAID. Part of the USAID mission in this area, and which we have supported, is a
strategy to stem the flow of irregular migration at the U.S. southern border by creating
opportunities for legal migration for temporary or seasonal work in the U.S. on farms and
ranches.
America’s farm and ranch families need workers as fewer domestic workers apply for jobs in
rural America and as the population of U.S. farmworkers ages out of the workforce. The notion
is relatively simple with a lot of positive attributes.
U.S. farmers and ranchers get needed workers that are ready, willing, and available, at the
times and locations around the country required. Temporary or seasonal workers get a chance,
provided they can pass the interview and the legal vetting process, to come into the U.S. legally
and work and then return home. Irregular migration at the U.S. southern border of migrants
from these “Labor Neighbor” countries diminishes and our national security is enhanced.
Win-win-win.
I must admit I felt some trepidation as the airplane’s wheels lifted away from the runway at
Reagan National Airport. I had never traveled to Central America and when the panel
organizers had told me that our hotel was going to be in the “safe zone” of the city, it raised
concern as to what was outside.
I landed in twilight and collected my checked bag. Not being a Spanish speaker, I slowly
navigated the maze to get to Guatemalan Customs and fill out their declaration. After that
process, I was met by two representatives of the Ministry of Labor and our driver whisked us off
to the hotel.
The country is beautiful, and the people are very warm and friendly. The Ministry had set up
several agricultural tours for our small group ahead of our meetings and the next morning we
drove outside the city to visit several farms.
The highway was clogged with hundreds of motorcycles and cars of all sorts. Refurbished and
custom designed BlueBird school buses seemed to be a ride of choice for many Guatemalans.
The narrow highway shoulders carried pedestrian traffic and appeared to be transit for several
stray brownish-yellow dogs. I hoped none of them would get hit…the pedestrians or the pups.
I was surprised by the frenetic commerce that crowded the thoroughfare. Auto and motorcycle
mechanics advertised their shops, next door to Shell stations, McDonald’s, and Taco Bell. When
traffic crawled, street vendors wandered out into the traffic hawking bottles of water and bags
of chips. Chaos.
The next day I had the opportunity to sit through interviews of Guatemalans interested in a 90-
day contract to pick apples in Washington. The workers were well-scrubbed, excited, but their
apprehension was palpable. The interviewees, none of whom had ever been into the U.S. and
had already been interviewed by the Ministry of Labor explained they would be able to make
more in their 90-day job in Washington, than they would be able to make in 5 years in
Guatemala.
During the interview they shared that they had dreams. One prospect stated when he came
home, he wanted to start building a house and someday add a wood floor. Another
interviewee said he wanted to grow coffee when he returned. One of the other individuals
claimed to have desires to open a small bodega.
The aspirations of these potential workers were on display and touched me.
As my flight took off for the return trip leaving Guatemala, I couldn’t help but feel humbled and
that was okay. Feeling humility from time to time is not a bad thing.
