Georgia Scheme Accused of Trafficking Farm Workers Through H-2A Visa Program

A federal grand jury unsealed an indictment this week accusing five individuals—Martha Aquino, Evangelina Aquino De Galvan, Julio Cervantes, Marco Cervantes and Juan Felipe Romero-Lopez—of operating a labor-trafficking ring in Georgia that abused the H-2A agricultural visa system. Prosecutors allege the defendants fraudulently secured H-2A visas to import foreign farm workers, then forced the laborers to hand over their earnings, confiscated their passports and threatened them with violence to keep them on the farms.

When the workers’ visas lapsed, the conspirators allegedly allowed them to stay in the United States illegally, offering transport to other regions for additional fees. Martha Aquino, Julio Cervantes and Marco Cervantes have been taken into custody; Romero-Lopez was already detained on separate weapons charges; Evangelina Aquino De Galvan remains a fugitive. The charges include conspiracy to commit visa fraud, visa fraud, and encouraging illegal entry for commercial gain, with Romero-Lopez also charged for illegal firearm possession. U.S. Attorney Margaret E. Heap emphasized a coordinated effort with federal, state and local agencies to safeguard migrant workers and the H-2A program.