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Since the late 1980s many companies across America have depended on a guest worker program that allows foreign workers to temporarily work and live in the United States. This is case for many crab meat processing plants located on Maryland's Chesapeake Bay, which rely on H2B Visa workers. Our correspondent Andrea Arenas visited one such plant, where both the owners and employees are worried that the Trump administration might roll back the program and hurt the crabbing industry.
IN: Its a tough job
OUT: SOC
DUR: 2'17
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SCRIPT
VO 1.
UPSOUND
Mexican music
Its a tough job, picking crab meat for eight hours a day... but these Mexican workers at Lindy's Seafood in Hoopers Island seam to have found an right rhythym to get them through the day.
This summer this meat processing plant was able to hire 75 H2B visa workers, business men and women in the industry say that these visa recipients are indispensable to their business.
Aubrey Vincent is the co-proprietor of Lindy's Seafood.
SOT
AUBREY VINCENT, SALES REPRESENTATIVE AND CO PROPRIETOR
"H2B HAS BEEN ABLE TO REALLY BRING PEOPLE IN TO DO THE JOBS TEMPORARILY IT HELPS SUPPORT ALL OF THE OTHER DOMESTIC WORKERS IN THE AREA THAT ARE EITHER INVOLVED IN THE INDUSTRY THROUGH SUPPLIES OR INVOLVED BECAUSE THEY CRAB OR WORK IN THE FISHERY SOME TYPE OF WAY. "
VO 2.
The Trump administration has critisized programs like this one, saying it takes jobs away from Americans citizens.
But only 66,000 visas are made available every year.
Jay Newcomb is the owners of Old Salty's crab processor. He was out of luck this season, and was not able to get any visas for his plant...
SOT
JAY NEWCOMB, PRESIDENT AND OWNER OF OLD SALTY'S
" I HAVE BEEN USING THE H2B VISA PROGRAM SINCE 1989 WITH A PREVIOUS EMPLOYER AND NOW MYSELF. SOME OF THE WORKERS HAVE BEEN BACK AND FORTH FOR 20 YEARS. IT'S A LEGAL PROGRAM, IT'S A GOOD PROGRAM IT'S GOOD FOR THEM, ITS GOOD FOR US, AND IT'S GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY. "
VO 4.
According to a University of Maryland study, every H2B visa issued helps create 2.5 American jobs.
Jack Brooks is the president of the Chesapeake Seafood Industry Association. His family has been in the crabbing industry since 1890. He says the situation is dire.
SOT
JACK BROOKS, PRESIDENT OF THE CHESAPEAKE SEAFOOD INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION
WE ARE JUST NOT FINDING THE LOCAL FOLKS TO COME IN AND DO THE JOBS, SO WITHOUT THIS H2B PROGRAM AND ACCESS TO THESE VISA WORKERS WE HAVE A WHOLE INDUSTRY, A WHOLE WAY OF LIFE, SMALL FISHING COMMUNITIES IN JEOPARDY.
VO 5.
Since 1997, 29 processing plants on Hoopers Island have had to close their doors...
And those that remain are worried they will be next, if the Trump administration does make cuts to the H2B visa program.