Labor Department Responds After Judge Strikes Down H-2A Wage Rule
The Department of Labor has answered allegations in court after a federal judge ruled its H-2A wage rule was unlawful.
2 reports on this incident · first at Aug 26, 2026, 6:36 p.m. ET
Earlier reports
Aug 26, 2026, 6:36 p.m. ETFirst report
Federal Judge Strikes Down Trump-Era Rule Cutting Wages for Foreign Farmworkers
A federal judge has struck down a Trump administration rule that lowered wage requirements for many foreign agricultural workers, according to a report from Newsweek. The court found that the Labor Department failed to adequately justify setting wage rates for the overwhelming majority of H-2A workers at levels well below historical market averages. The ruling also determined that the department unlawfully bypassed much of the normal federal rulemaking process.
The decision, which came in a district court, concluded that the administration did not show the changes would protect U.S. farmworkers from depressed wages. The case was adjudicated with the department found liable. The Labor Department was the respondent in the case.
The rule had reduced wage requirements for H-2A visa holders, a program that allows employers to bring foreign workers to the U.S. for temporary agricultural work. The court's ruling invalidates the rule, though the full implications for the program remain to be seen.
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Revision history
- Version 126 Aug 2026, 22:40current
First published.
- Version 126 Aug 2026, 22:36current
First published.
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