About FEWA

FEWA provides several programs and services to help member employers and workers. One of the many services provided is assistance with the federal guest worker programs such as the H-2 programs. These programs allow employers, who qualify with the United States Department of Labor (USDOL) and are approved by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), to hire temporary migrant labor from almost anywhere in the world.

Benjamin Franklin envisioned the non-profit association role in America to be an organization that is not part of the government, that allows Americans to join together for common causes to act as intermediaries between the public and the government. For more information on Non-profit associations –click here. The association may provide information or services, which may be considered legal in nature, exclusively to its bona fide members. The First Amendment protects the rights of FEWA members to assist one another, through a specialized department, in the assertion and protection of their legal rights. FEWA staff attorneys can only help FEWA members in legal matters related to FEWA membership and nothing more. Freedom of peaceable assembly, freedom of speech and freedom of petition are all rights of an association based on the U.S. Supreme Court decisions.For controlling case law that allows the FEWA membership to band together to hire staff immigration attorneys to assist the membership click here.

I. F.E.W.A. - Federation of Employers and Workers of America (FEWA) is a 501(c)(6) Nonprofit Trade Association.

II. Trade Association – Group of businesses work together to build awareness, advocate certain political goals and provide services to members. Devoted to the improvement and advancement of business conditions. An organization that is exempt under section 501(c)(6) may permissibly engage in any amount of legislative activity germane to the common interests of the organization's members.

1. FEWA – Provides industry awareness such as migrant labor management and non-immigrant and immigrant employment visas issues. Devoted to improving and advancing labor conditions.
2. FEWA – Provides services such as Spanish/English translation, informational, educational and legislative literature and legal advice and information.
3. Examples of trade associations are U.S. Chamber of Commerce and NAM (National Association of Manufacturers). They spend enormous amounts of money lobbying Congress to get legislation they feel is beneficial to their members passed, or to block legislation they feel is harmful.

III. F.E.W.A. Members – Members include any United States employer that provides labor intensive services and has an interest in using temporary migrant labor to assist in providing those services. Any employer with Immigrant/Migrant workers is welcome. Any Immigrant/Migrant worker is welcome.

IV. Membership Dues, Fees and Services

1. Trade Associations cannot charge more for a service than they need to recover their costs (Ex. recruiting, consular assistance in foreign countries, etc.).
2. Membership dues are set by the Board of Directors.
3. Dues can be spent on any projects the board believes are in the best interest of the organization and the greater community.

V. F.E.W.A. Staff Attorneys

1. Respond to legal inquiries from members
2. Educate members on legal issues affecting their business
3. Provide legal information pertaining to occupational and business issues, specifically non-immigrant and immigrant work visas (not individual affairs).
4. Obtain opinion letters from administrative agencies
5. Respond to legislative initiatives
6. FEWA does not control or influence the independent professional judgment of its staff attorneys.
7. Authority – Fourteenth Amendment (Freedom of Association) – The right to assist and advise association members, either personally or through a department of the association, regarding their legal rights is a fundamental element of the right of freedom of association. Also permitted under State laws of Texas, where the Association is incorporated.

We are an internationally recognized non-profit association responsible for providing our members with educational and informational services related to cultural and non-immigrant and immigrant labor management issues.

Through the participation and contributions of the diverse backgrounds of individual members at FEWA, we are committed to do the following:

Fundamental shared-belief and values of honesty, integrity, professionalism and assertiveness to foster cultural diversity, social, ethical and non-immigrant and immigrant labor management concerns.

Educational and informational programs for our members to facilitate a better understanding and creation of positive relationships between employer members and worker members.

We are committed to utilizing our resources, expertise, knowledge and proficiency to provide competent member services. We act assertively and proactively to assist members in resolving labor issues, identify human resource and labor trends, develop revolutionary recruiting and retention strategies and promote cultural diversity.

Also, we align and utilize our resources wisely and make practical use of information, experience and knowledge to best accomplish our mission. People with expertise in business management, multi-cultural management and migrant and immigration issues work cooperatively as an integrated team.

We encourage open staff and member dialogue to better respond to the concerns and needs of our members. This communication will assist in the growth of positive and meaningful relationships with our members as well as within FEWA staff. We maintain a worker-friendly environment, promote initiatives, champion cultural diversity and nourish personal growth and professional development.

We recognize the contribution and accomplishments of each member of the team, demonstrate mutual trust and respect, and inspire cooperative decision making.

As a member of FEWA, you are part of a tradition of history and service of associations. FEWA is an outgrowth of the National Association of H2B Users (NAH2BU).  In 1998, a few H2B users banded together to unite for a common cause, a temporary seasonal migrant worker program that worked. The main purpose was to lobby the National and Regional offices of the USDOL, INS and elected officials. The earliest members were Duane Keesen of Colorado, Chuck Twist of Oklahoma, Mark Borst and Joe Palimeno of New Jersey, and Scott Evans of Texas. The dues were $25.00 per year, and volunteers ran the association. At one point there were 236 member companies.

November 16, 2001: NAH2BU minutes state, The National Association of H2B Users seeks to further their goal of continuing the Federal H2B program, improving the H2B program, and expanding the H2B program. The association also realizes that there are many more things that the association should be addressing outside the original NAH2BU organizational goals. Therefore, a new association is needed.

December 28, 2001: The official name Federation of Employers and Workers of America was adopted and Scott Evans was selected as the first Association Executive/President. 

February 7, 2003: The official Certificate of Incorporation approval for FEWA was received.

July 10, 2003:  FEWA received official approval from the IRS for not for profit Status as a 501 (c) 6 organization

October 22, 2004:  FEWA Foundation received official approval from the IRS for not for profit status as a 501 (c) 3 organization

December 28, 2005: FEWA purchases the current National office building (photo)

June 27, 2007: FEWA expansion of the current National office building complete (photo)

Any reform of America’s immigration policy should strengthen the rule of law by establishing clear, sensible immigration mandates that are efficiently and vigorously enforced.  

To be as effective as possible, reforms should be comprehensive in nature.  Three components are essential for any successful reform campaign.  They are: 1) functional guest worker programs for both seasonal and year-round industries, 2) increased border security, and 3) non-ambiguous interior enforcement.

Guest worker programs must: 1) guarantee that U.S. workers are not displaced by foreign workers; 2) ensure that all workers enjoy the same labor law protections; 3) provide for the security screening of all foreign workers; 4) allow for renewal if there is a continuing need; and 5) have a sufficient number of available visas with triggers for increases as dictated by economic conditions, or be based entirely on market indicators.

Border security improvements must: 1) utilize virtual as well as physical fence technologies; 2) authorize an increase in the number of Border Patrol agents; 3) allow for the detention of more foreign nationals entering the country illegally; and 4) include more scrutiny of our northern border as well as the border to our south.

Interior enforcement provisions must: 1) supply employers with clear directives for authenticating an applicant's right to work; 2) provide timely verification of an applicants work authorization status directly from the federal government; 3) bestow complete immunity to employers who mistakenly hire undocumented workers based on incorrect results from the government’s verification system; and 4) avoid retroactive authentication of an employer’s current workforce.