No one can calculate how many of these transitional workers will ever become legal permanent residents. Until they achieve legal permanent resident status they should be considered temporary foreign workers and treated similarly. From the employers side. no difference exists between employers who utilize the H2A program and those who use the blue card program. This applies across the board to all commodities produced and livestock raised production methods and for their need of dependable workers. There is a major difference though. H2A workers. many of whom have been coming to the same employers for years in this country legallythe vast majority did not bring their family members. and they returned home at the end of their periods of employment. just as the law requires. These H2A workers were not exploited while they were here because the employers played by the rules. Playing by the rules was expensive. The adverse effect wage rate is expensive. But those employers did it to their competitive disadvantage with a neighbor who employed illegals at a significantly lower rate. who did not pay the transportation costs of those workers. and did not provide those workers with housing. On the other hand. illegal workers who will benefit from the blue card program broke our laws when they came here. even though they came here for the same reasons as the H2A worker. The employers who hired them. perhaps some out of absolute necessityand I understand thatbut. by doing that. they also broke our laws. Regardless of the circumstances under which those illegal workers are employed in agriculture now. I would be willing to bet that many were exploited. underpaid. and indentured along the way. That is why I do not understand why the underlying bill fails to protect the illegal workers. who adjust their status. and guarantee them a fair wage. I also dont understand why the AgJOBS bill fails to protect U.S. workers who do farm work by neglecting to require employers who use foreign labor. whether they access via the H2A program or the blue card program. to pay all workers in that occupation a prevailing wage.