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The first time I went to the United States for work, I didn't intend to stay for long. I only planned to work for three years, while my daughter was in high school and my son was in middle school, because even though I worked in Mexico, I earned very little. With a U.S. salary, I could support my children's studies, improve my living conditions, and gradually renovate my house. I was hoping to be able to give my children a better future. Then, I felt I was doing better as a result of working in the U.S., so I started applying for opportunities to work there every year.

I have now been going to work in the U.S. for 14 seasons, having received 17 or 18 H-2B visas. In recent years, I’ve even returned to work in the U.S. twice a year, going back to Mexico to renew my visa when my contract ended and then returning to work 3 to 4 months later.

What was the recruitment process like for you when you migrated for the first time?

The first time, one of my sisters was already working at a company and knew that another company was hiring two people, so she recommended me to that other factory. The work itself was difficult because I didn't even know what crabs were. It was hard for me to learn the cuts, and I cut my hands a lot. It was a very stressful job, working under a lot of pressure.

What were the biggest challenges you faced at work?

The first challenge I faced was learning how to work, because we had to produce a certain number of pounds to fulfil a minimum production quota. The required production level stated in our contracts for the first year of work was that we had to produce 6 pounds of crab in 2 hours in order to keep our jobs. They gave us 3 weeks to start meeting required production levels, and if we didn't, they would send us back to Mexico. So we had to hurry to meet these demands.

In the early years, I noticed that people from Centro de los Derechos del Migrante (CDM)  would come and share information with us. However, at the first factory where I worked, we were forbidden from listening to them, or even opening the door to them, so we didn't. When I transferred to another factory, that's when I learned about CDM. We knew they supported migrant workers, but we didn't pay attention to them out of fear that the bosses would find out and not hire us for the next season, which had happened before. Some of my own coworkers would tell the bosses that we were in contact with labor rights organizations, and the bosses would stop hiring us. There were also coworkers or supervisors who covered up the unjust practices committed in the factories to stay in the bosses' good side. When organizations like CDM came to our workplaces, they’d say everything was fine when it wasn’t.

CDM shared information with us about our rights, and that's when I began to learn about their organization and to speak out against the injustices committed in the factories.

Why did you join the Defense Committee?

I joined the Committee because the injustices I saw, and the violations of labor rights I experienced, fuelled my desire to be informed and able to share information with others going through the same thing as me or who had experienced other difficult situations.

I would tell anyone going through a difficult situation in their workplace that there are organizations like CDM that can and will provide you with guidance, information, and support.

Any thoughts on the changes to the H-2 visa rules or things you'd like to see improved regarding H-2B visas?

I'd like to see more visas become available, because many people want to work. But these visas must come with more benefits, better labor protections than they currently give, and ensure real respect for the labor rights of all migrant workers.

If you are also a migrant worker and are interested in protecting and defending your labor rights, come join the fight. Contact the Centro de los Derechos del Migrante (CDM) from Mexico at +52 55 9661 6771 or from the United States at +1 667 217-5738 for advice and information about the Migrant Defense Committee.

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