LCI Joins SEA on Capitol Hill

LCI Joins the Seasonal Employment Alliance on Capitol Hill to Advocate for the H-2B Program

On May 19th, 2026, members of the Labor Consultants International team traveled to Washington D.C. as part of the Seasonal Employment Alliance's annual D.C. Fly-In, joining employers and industry advocates from across the country to make the case for the H-2B program directly to members of Congress.

The visit came at a critical time. USCIS processing delays impacted employers across the industry this season in a meaningful way, creating uncertainty around worker arrival timelines and leaving many seasonal businesses scrambling to staff their peak operations. Getting in front of lawmakers and their staff to put faces and real business stories to those delays was the whole point of the trip.

Meeting with the Idaho Delegation

As constituents of the state of Idaho, our team had the opportunity to sit down directly with members of Idaho's congressional delegation, including Congressman Russ Fulcher, Senator Jim Risch, and Senator Mike Crapo. These conversations gave LCI the opportunity to speak directly about what USCIS processing delays look like from our side, what our clients experienced this filing season, and why the program matters to Idaho businesses and the broader seasonal employer community.

Idaho may not be the first state that comes to mind when people think about H-2B, but the program touches businesses across the state in industries from hospitality and tourism to construction and landscaping. Having a seat at the table with Idaho's delegation and being able to speak to those local connections made for a more productive conversation than a generic industry talking point ever could.

Supporting Clients in Their Own Meetings

Beyond our delegation meetings, one of the most valuable parts of the trip was the opportunity to join our clients as they met with their own representatives on Capitol Hill. This wasn't LCI speaking on behalf of employers in the abstract. It was business owners standing in front of their elected officials and talking about what their season looks like, how many workers they depend on, and what it means operationally when those workers arrive weeks late or not at all.

Our team was there alongside them to provide context on the filing side, explaining what the process looks like navigating DOL and USCIS on behalf of hundreds of employers at once and where the system is breaking down in ways that create real consequences for real businesses. Having both the employer voice and our own in the same room made for a more complete picture for the congressional staff who were listening.

The Bigger Picture

LCI participated in over 10 meetings during the event. But that was just a portion of a much larger coordinated effort. The Seasonal Employment Alliance is the largest H-2B advocacy organization in the country, representing approximately half of all H-2B program users. The broader fly-in effort generated more than 70 opportunities for employers and advocates to meet with congressional offices across both chambers to discuss the importance of the H-2B program to American seasonal businesses.

SEA's primary focus is the application of persistent grassroots advocacy directed at Congress and the Administration, driving and facilitating Hill meetings with members and their representatives, summarizing the intelligence gathered from those meetings, and driving appropriate follow up with every member of Congress. LCI is proud to be part of that effort.

The H-2B program has faced persistent challenges around cap limitations, processing delays, and legislative uncertainty. The only way those things improve over the long term is if the businesses that depend on the program show up, tell their stories, and make sure the people writing the laws understand what is at stake. That is what this trip was about.

What's at Stake for Seasonal Employers

The stakes this season have been higher than usual. A significant portion of seasonal employers reported workers arriving weeks behind schedule due to USCIS processing backlogs. For businesses with a narrow operating window, whether that is a summer resort, a landscaping company with spring contracts, or a seafood processor with a harvest season that doesn't wait, a two-week delay in worker arrival is not just an inconvenience. It can represent a meaningful portion of the entire season's revenue.

Lawmakers need to hear that directly. Not through a policy brief, but from the business owner who was short-staffed for the first three weeks of their busiest month. That is the kind of testimony that moves the needle, and trips like this one are how it gets delivered. If you want to understand more about how the H-2B filing process works and the timelines involved, our visa application timeline page breaks it all down step by step.

A Thank You to Everyone Who Participated

Taking time out of a busy season to travel to Washington and sit in congressional offices for a full day is not a small ask. We are genuinely grateful to the clients and fellow SEA members who made the trip and gave their time to this effort.

The work SEA does year-round to coordinate these advocacy efforts, maintain relationships on Capitol Hill, and keep the H-2B community organized and engaged is invaluable. If you are an H-2B employer who is not yet a member of SEA, we encourage you to learn more about what they do and consider getting involved at sealabor.com.

The conversations happening in Washington right now, around cap relief, the Certified Seasonal Employer Designation, and long-term program reform, will shape the H-2B program for years to come. The more voices in those rooms the better.

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