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Hundreds of Mexican farm workers stranded at US border after massive computer glitch Hundreds of Mexican farm workers stranded at US border after massive computer glitch
(7 months later)
A government computer glitch has stranded hundreds of Mexican farm workers at the US-Mexico border for two weeks, as officials are unable to issue work visas.A government computer glitch has stranded hundreds of Mexican farm workers at the US-Mexico border for two weeks, as officials are unable to issue work visas.
The glitch has prevented the workers from reaching the Washington state cherry farms that sponsored their visas, meaning cherry crops have been spoiling, Reuters reported. Many farms have reported losing their entire cherry crop.The glitch has prevented the workers from reaching the Washington state cherry farms that sponsored their visas, meaning cherry crops have been spoiling, Reuters reported. Many farms have reported losing their entire cherry crop.
Just as summer harvest kicks off, computer error has left thousands of temporary ag workers stranded in Mexico http://t.co/T56sWtxV6p
A State Department database crashed on 9 June and since then US Customs and Border Protection has been able to process only about half of the requested work visas.A State Department database crashed on 9 June and since then US Customs and Border Protection has been able to process only about half of the requested work visas.
About 1,250 workers who had previously been granted the H-2A visas — issued for temporary farm employment — have been granted them again, but some 1,500 first-time applicants been stranded by the computer glitch.About 1,250 workers who had previously been granted the H-2A visas — issued for temporary farm employment — have been granted them again, but some 1,500 first-time applicants been stranded by the computer glitch.
"Some Washington Cherry Orchards Short Of Labor This Year" http://t.co/pnoV7TKKsV #cherries #mobilephones pic.twitter.com/1oVBkUEEV9
Washington state is the largest US producer of sweet cherries and generated about $385 million in revenue in 2013, according to the Washington State Department of Agriculture.Washington state is the largest US producer of sweet cherries and generated about $385 million in revenue in 2013, according to the Washington State Department of Agriculture.
“Cherries are timely; if you don’t get them in the 10- to 14-day window when they’re ready to harvest, they become mush,” said Roxana Macias, program manager a Washington labor group.“Cherries are timely; if you don’t get them in the 10- to 14-day window when they’re ready to harvest, they become mush,” said Roxana Macias, program manager a Washington labor group.
Dan Fazio, director of the labor group, said the government computer snafu has put a major dent in cherry production and likely will hurt blueberries, the next crop to ripen.Dan Fazio, director of the labor group, said the government computer snafu has put a major dent in cherry production and likely will hurt blueberries, the next crop to ripen.
“I don’t know if this damages the entire Washington sweet cherry crop,” Mr Fazio told Reuters. “But I know that I have growers whose entire crop is wiped out.”“I don’t know if this damages the entire Washington sweet cherry crop,” Mr Fazio told Reuters. “But I know that I have growers whose entire crop is wiped out.”
  
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