Mississippi Catfish Farms Settle Discrimination Lawsuit

Two farms have reached a settlement over allegations of paying immigrant workers more than local Black employees for the same labor.

Two Mississippi catfish farms have settled a lawsuit alleging discriminatory pay practices favoring workers from Mexico over local Black farmworkers.
The lawsuit, brought by Southern Migrant Legal Services and Mississippi Center for Justice, claimed systematic underpayment and denial of job opportunities to Black workers in favor of non-Black foreign workers.
The settlement, terms of which are confidential, marks the eighth such agreement on behalf of Black farmworkers in the Mississippi Delta, a region known for its economic challenges.
Plaintiffs hope the legal action will encourage farmers across the U.S. to offer fair wages to local workers, addressing concerns of job displacement by guest workers.
The lawsuits highlight the need for employers to prioritize hiring local workers before seeking guest workers under the H-2A program, amid reports of U.S. workers being replaced.