EMERGENCYYOUR DECISION – YOUR CALL TO ACTION-May 2024
 H-2B Work Visas ReportÂ
The Heritage Foundation released “Project 2025†guidelines for a second Trump Term.
The Department of Homeland Security Section advises that zero supplemental visas be issued
and proposes that the entire H-2B program be phased out within a 10-year period .
Roll that around in your brain for a few minutes. What would that mean for the business that you
and your family have built over generations? What would that mean for the entire mobile
entertainment industry?
This would wipe us all out.
No Labor = No Carnival.
No Carnival = No Sales by Industry Suppliers.
No Carnival = No Food or Game Operators.
No Carnival = No Patrons at Fairs and Festivals.
No Carnival = No Fairs or Festivals.
I have been working to find a permanent fix for the mobile entertainment industry’s labor issues for decades. We have gotten close several times. But getting legislation passed in Congress and signed into law is more difficult than capturing lightning bugs with your eyes closed. We have a unique opportunity to get this done, but like the flash of lightning bugs on a summer evening, this opportunity will soon pass. It is going to take all of us, carnival, food concessions, game operators. Suppliers to the industry: insurance; electrical; concessions; trailer, ride & bunkhouse manufacturers; paper goods; plush; posters and tickets, all companies that depend upon the industry. The fairs, festivals, community service organizations that partner with the industry to generate the billion dollars a year that are utilized for local community service projects and scholarships each year.
As we rely on each other to make individual events a success, we must partner together as a team
and focus on this specific goal.
I am so pleased that our industry leaders, the OABA, IAFE
and NICA have recognized the urgency of getting across the
finish line and are working together with a viable solution.
We must get this done NOW – the current nexus of political, economic and social issues is unique
and may not be present for another 30 years.
Industry leaders, can prepare materials, guidelines, organize and lead the troupes.
But the troupes – YOU and ME – the GRASS ROOTS – are the ones that need to TAKE
ACTION to get this done.
In the US House of Representatives, the CARE ACT (HR Bill 1787) and in the US Senate, the
RIDE ACT (Senate Bill 4040), two nearly identical bills have been introduced, have been
collecting bipartisan (both Democratic and Republican) support.
The bills actually have a chance of passing, of being the lightning bug in the bottle that has
alluded us for decades, if we can rally all aspects of our fair, festival, mobile entertainment
industry, suppliers and providers, to actively advocate for the CARE ACT and RIDE ACT.
The alternative is unthinkable.
This is a relatively easy lift. It is basically a correction to P-1 immigration language that was
passed in 1992 for the circus industry. This bill not only fixes that decades-old Congressional
error, but expands the correction to include all legitimate components of the mobile
entertainment industry.
The CARE ACT does nothing to address the H-2B cap issues, so the entire H-2B community is not
going to get behind this legislation and push for it. It is designed ONLY for the MOBILE
ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY and so it is ours to fight for, get it done, or allow the opportunity
to flitter away.
All of the tools that YOU need to get this done, can be found at the
OABA
Who is your one US Representative and your two US Senators (Click)
Find Your Members of Congress If you are in the process of taking action, or have taken action, and need additional support, or have reached out to your members of Congress or have close relationship with your member of Congress and have information to report, please provide updates or request guidance from the OABA Support team: Rocky Fox [email protected] or John Ariale
[email protected] and please cc my email at
Catch the bug. Call to Action. We can do it.
James K. Judkins, Chaos Coordinator
JKJ Workforce Agency, Inc.
OABA CARE ACT Video, Watch, share & advocate for a future where festivals and carnivals will be part of the fabric of the American Dream for more generations to come. https://oaba.org/images/site/pageserver/media/CARES-ACT-Video.mp4
Check out EZY Payroll, payroll services tailored to the mobile entertainment industry
www.EZYPayroll.com / 956-368-5590 / [email protected]
