WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) applauded the U.S. State Department announcement to expand the categories of H-2 visa applicants whose applications can be adjudicated without an in-person interview, allowing continued access to vetted, temporary workers to help ensure America’s agriculture industry has the workforce it needs to continue producing our domestic food supply as our nation combats the COVID-19 pandemic.

This comes after Senator Tillis led a bipartisan, bicameral letter signed by more than 100 members of the House and Senate urging the Trump administration to remove a number of specific hurdles in order to ensure the timely processing of H-2A visa requests, which is our nation’s temporary agriculture worker program. 

“While we work together as a nation to combat the coronavirus pandemic, we must ensure Americans have abundant access to food and give producers the workers they need to keep the supply chain strong,” said Senator Tillis. “I want to thank the Trump Administration for making this a priority and allowing the agriculture industry continued access to the workforce they need to protect our nation’s domestic food supply.”

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