Appeals Court Affirms Injunction on Maine H-2A Visa Law

An industry group likely will succeed in its challenge to a Maine law limiting the use of foreign guestworkers in the state’s forestry industry, the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit found in a ruling Wednesday affirming an injunction issued by a lower court.

A three-judge panel, which heard oral arguments over the last month, found that the Maine law was likely preempted by the Immigration and Nationality Act.

The Maine law would prohibit companies from using workers on H-2A guestworker visas to haul forestry products within the state. State legislators who backed the law said hiring of ...