An overwhelming majority of voters in these states support guestworkers receiving the same labor standards and workplace protections as U.S. workers doing the same job.
Washington, D.C. — New public opinion polling finds that likely voters in Connecticut and Maryland strongly oppose expanding guestworker programs, and instead support reforms that protect workers, strengthen employer accountability, and rebalance employer-worker relationships.
The findings come as key industries across the country are lobbying for Congress to significantly expand current guestworker programs through bills such as the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act of 2026. According to the Economic Policy Institute, more than 700,000 workers were employed through major visa programs for seasonal and temporary lower-wage jobs in 2024 across the U.S.
At events with Connecticut and Maryland lawmakers on key U.S. House and Senate committees that legislate guestworker programs — like the appropriations committee, Migration that Works — a coalition of labor, migration, civil rights, and anti-trafficking organizations — shared new polling conducted by Data for Progress of 858 likely voters across Connecticut and Maryland showing that voters overwhelmingly favor alternatives to expanding guestworker programs. Rachel Micah-Jones, chair of Migration that Works, said:
“Voters are seeing through the idea that the answer to workforce challenges is simply to bring in more workers who have fewer rights. Across Connecticut and Maryland, voters want a guestworker system that works for workers and communities — not one that gives employers power to exploit people. Voters support equal workplace protections, stronger accountability, and giving guestworkers the freedom to leave an abusive employer. That’s the direction Congress should be moving — not to expand a broken program that drives down wages and working conditions for everyone.”
Key poll findings
- Voters report broad awareness of guestworker programs. Among the full sample of 858 Connecticut and Maryland likely voters, 85% report at least some familiarity with guestworker programs, including 38% who say they know “a fair amount.”
- Voters across party lines reject expansion and favor reform. After reading arguments for either expanding or reforming guestworker programs, voters show weak support for expansion (28% overall), with Democrats, Independents, and Republicans favoring reform (61%, 66%, and 68% respectively).
- Voters support reforms that rebalance employer-guestworker relationships. A strong majority of voters (62%) support allowing guestworkers to change employers instead of being tied to the one that initially recruited them.
- Voters agree that tying workers to specific employers can contribute to abuse, unfair pay, discrimination, and human trafficking that harms both guestworkers and U.S. workers. A strong majority of voters (65%) agree with this statement, including 78% of Democrats, 59% of Independents, and 52% of Republicans.
- Support for stronger worker protections is near-universal. An overwhelming majority of voters (81%) support guestworkers receiving the same labor standards and workplace protections as U.S. workers doing the same job, and an even higher percentage of voters (85%) support increasing penalties for employers who violate wage and safety standards.
- Voters see employer abuse and weak enforcement—not worker shortages—as central concerns with existing guestworker programs. Half (50%) cite employers paying guestworkers less or treating them unfairly as a top concern, while 43% worry that the government does not do enough to ensure employers follow the rules, and 39% say workers can become trapped with one employer and have difficulty leaving. By comparison, just 18% cite the program’s failure to provide enough workers to meet employers’ needs as a concern.
- Voters favor expanding legal work opportunities without simply expanding guestworker programs. When asked what lawmakers should focus on, 50% favor encouraging employers to hire people already in the U.S. before bringing in temporary workers, while another 31% favor creating alternative ways for people from other countries to legally work and contribute where workers are needed. Just 13% prioritize making it easier for employers to hire more foreign workers on a temporary basis.
- Voters see guestworker reform as an issue affecting their own communities. Nearly 2 in 3 voters (65%) agree that people in their community would be better off under an alternative guestworker program where workers could apply directly for work permits, switch employers, and have equal labor rights, including among Democrats (78%), Independents (57%), and Republicans (50%)
What voters are saying
Open-ended responses reinforce the broader findings, with respondents across the political spectrum emphasizing fair pay, safe working conditions, and equal treatment.
“I think first you should hire people already looking for employment in the US. If you have to hire someone from another country, then they should be able to take their work visa and go to another job if their current job isn’t treating them right. They are still people and deserve equal pay and compassion”
— White woman, Republican, CT
“I believe guest worker programs should be reformed to ensure fair wages, equal labor protections, and more flexibility for workers to change employers. Strengthening oversight to prevent exploitation will benefit both the workers and our economy.”
— White man, Republican, MD
“Reform the program to prevent abuses from employers who use the program to avoid paying fair wages.”
— Asian man, Independent, MD
“They should get paid the same amount employees get and treated the same no matter where they came from”
— Black or African American woman, Democrat, CT
Read the full poll here:
Methodology
Data for Progress conducted the survey August 18–24, 2026, with 858 likely voters in Connecticut (n=315) and Maryland (n=543) using SMS and web panel respondents. The sample was weighted to be representative of likely voters by age, gender, education, race, geography, and recalled presidential vote. The survey was conducted in English. Results in Maryland are consistent with the broader two-state findings. The margin of error is ±3 percentage points. Partisanship is based on self-identified party affiliation, not partisan registration. For more information, please visit dataforprogress.org/our-methodology.
About Data for Progress
Data for Progress (DFP) is a multidisciplinary group of data experts that measures — and moves — public opinion by equipping the progressive movement with the insights it needs to win. Led by a team of experts, DFP offers high-quality, affordable polling in every corner of the country, message testing and focus groups on complex issues, and in-depth, victory-minded analysis.
About Migration that Works
Migration that Works is a coalition of labor, migration, civil rights, anti-trafficking organizations and academics advancing a labor migration model that respects the human rights of workers, families and communities and reflects their voices and experiences. Founded in 2011 as the International Labor Recruitment Working Group (ILRWG), Migration that Works is the first coordinated effort to strategically address worker rights abuses across industries and visa categories. migrationthatworks.org
For more information on guestworker programs, contact:
Carmen Martinez, Migration that Works, carmen@cdmigrante.org
For more information on this poll and its methodology, contact:
Elysha Davila, elysha@wonderforgood.com
Isa Alomran, isa@dataforprogress.org
