Advocates Tell Economic Matters Committee Maryland Fails to Enforce H‑2A and Farmworker Housing Rules

Advocates for migrant farmworkers told the House Economic Matters Committee that many H‑2A and other employer‑provided housing units in Maryland fall short of federal and state standards and that enforcement and access problems allow poor conditions to persist.

Ricardo Ortiz, of Centro de los Derechos del Migrante (CDM), said temporary visa programs create extreme dependence on employers and described frequent overcrowding, restricted movement, and sanitation problems. "On paper, [H‑2A] provides important rights," Ortiz said. "But in practice, these programs create extreme dependence on employers and scribe in the risk of labor abuses." He warned that a recent federal rule permitting growers to recover part of housing costs could increase pressure on wages and worsen living conditions.

Cornelia Bright Gordon, director of advocacy at Maryland Legal Aid, told the committee her organization has long provided legal outreach to farmworkers and cited a federal court ruling (Rivera v. Legal Aid Bureau) that affirms advocates' access rights. Nora Liberdo, a field advocate with Maryland Legal Aid, testified that her visits to camps found missing ceilings patched with plastic, mold, creaking floors, inadequate insulation, and that 35% of the camps they visited were overcrowded. "These conditions expose workers to moisture, mold, pests and temperature extremes, creating clear health and safety risks," Liberdo said.

Legal Aid and CDM emphasized two recurring enforcement and access concerns: inspectors sometimes note deficiencies but do not issue formal violation letters, and outreach workers have been denied entry to farm sites. Gordon said Legal Aid has been prevented from visiting some farms despite case law supporting access and that her agency will provide members with a law sheet that lists the statutory and regulatory housing requirements.

Committee members pressed witnesses on remedies available at the state level. Advocates urged stronger, proactive enforcement, improved language access for complaint reporting, clearer procedures for shielding complainants' identities when appropriate, and a statutory right to receive visitors at employer‑provided housing similar to statutes in some other states.

Members said they would review the written materials and the video evidence advocates offered and requested follow‑ups on enforcement authority, staffing, and remedies. The committee did not take formal action during the briefing.