Justice Department Files Lawsuit on McAllen Farm for Discrimination

The Justice Department has filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit against McAllen farmer.

The suit from the Justice Department alleges employment discrimination against two U.S. Citizens by Jerry Estopy and Estopy Farms.

The suit alleges that two citizens were denied jobs because of a question of their status as citizens of the U.S.

The Immigration and Nationality Act has a provision prohibiting employers from discriminating against workers based on their national origins or citizenship status in the hiring and firing process.

According the complaint, one of the plaintiffs had 12 years of work experience operating cotton combines and tractors when he was denied employment in June 2010.

The Justice Department has reasonable cause to believe that the company did not hire the U.S. Citizens because they preferred to hire foreign workers under the H-2A visa program.

The H-2A visa program allows the hiring of temporary non-citizen workers during seasonal periods of harvest if domestic workers are in shortage.

Estopy Farms specialize in sorghum and soy crops.