Supreme Court to Review Department of Labor’s Authority Over H-2A Farm Workers

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a case that asks whether the U.S. Department of Labor can enforce working-condition standards for foreign farm laborers hired under the H-2A visa program. The case stems from Sun Valley Orchards, a New Jersey farm that hired about 96 foreign workers in 2015 to harvest peppers and asparagus. After a Labor Department inspection, the agency assessed more than $212,000 in civil penalties and nearly $370,000 in back wages, alleging violations such as inconsistent access to drinking water, inadequate bathroom facilities, and lack of a kitchen for meal preparation. The farm argues the agency’s enforcement process infringes on separation-of-powers principles.

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The H-2A program brings hundreds of thousands of temporary foreign workers to U.S. agriculture each year. The Trump administration recently moved to lower wages for H-2A workers, citing labor shortages intensified by broader immigration crackdowns. The legal question mirrors a 2024 Supreme Court decision that required a hedge-fund manager to receive a jury trial rather than an in-house review by the Securities and Exchange Commission, and it follows oral arguments earlier this month in a separate case involving the Federal Communications Commission.

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• Sun Valley Orchards – the New Jersey farm at the center of the dispute.

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• Department of Labor – acting through the Justice Department to enforce H-2A standards.

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• Farm’s attorneys – who contend the agency’s process is unconstitutional.

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• 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals – which reversed a district-court dismissal.

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• Supreme Court – now reviewing the case after an appeal by Trump officials in February.

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• 2015 – Sun Valley hires 96 H-2A workers.

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• 2024 (approx.) – Labor Department inspection; penalties imposed.

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• District court dismisses farm’s suit; 3rd Circuit reverses.

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• Feb 2026 – Trump administration appeals to the Supreme Court.

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• Apr 27 2026 – Supreme Court grants review.

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• Later 2026 – Oral arguments scheduled.

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• Mid-2027 – Expected Supreme Court decision.

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• 96 workers hired under H-2A.

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• $212,000 in civil penalties; $370,000 in back wages.

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• Shifts: 12 hours per day with a one-hour break.

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• Housing: six bedrooms, each with 20 bunk beds.

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• Justice Department estimate: H-2A workers comprise roughly one-sixth of the U.S. agricultural workforce.

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The Court’s ruling will clarify the extent to which federal agencies may impose and review penalties for labor-condition violations, affecting a key enforcement tool for ensuring compliance with H-2A program requirements. The decision could influence farm labor supply, wage standards, and broader debates over agency authority versus judicial oversight.

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The Justice Department told the Court that limiting the Department of Labor’s review power would “deprive the government of an important tool for ensuring that employers comply with the conditions for employing those workers.” The farm’s attorneys argue the agency’s process forced Sun Valley “to endure years of unconstitutional proceedings in agency courts.” The Trump administration maintains that the Department’s action is carved out from earlier Supreme Court precedent.

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The farm’s legal team characterizes the Department’s enforcement as overreach, asserting that the agency’s internal adjudication violates separation-of-powers principles. Critics highlight the alleged lack of basic amenities for workers and the repurposing of a kitchen space for sales of beer and soft drinks.

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The Justice Department reports that the farm provided six bedrooms with 20 bunk beds each, while the farm’s job posting advertised “free cooking and kitchen facilities.” Government findings state the kitchen was instead used by a supervisor to sell beverages, a claim not independently verified by worker testimony.

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• “Sun Valley was forced to endure years of unconstitutional proceedings in agency courts,” — Farm’s attorneys, representing Sun Valley Orchards

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• “By one estimate, H-2A workers account for a sixth of the United States’ agricultural workforce,” — Justice Department, in Supreme Court appeal

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• “deprives the government of an important tool for ensuring that employers comply with the conditions for employing those workers.” — Justice Department, in appeal brief

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• “The farm provided six bedrooms for the workers, with 20 bunk beds in each room, according to the government.” — Justice Department, inspection report

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The Supreme Court is slated to hear oral arguments later in 2026, with a decision anticipated by mid-2027. The outcome will determine whether the Department of Labor retains in-house review authority over H-2A labor-condition enforcement.

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