Super Short Summary

No Man's Land by Cindy Hahamovitch is a historical account of the American H2 guestworker program, which recruited temporary labor from various countries to perform dangerous agricultural jobs in the U.S., primarily focusing on Caribbean workers in Florida's sugar industry. These workers, unrepresented and with limited rights, faced harsh conditions and exploitation. The book traces the evolution of guestworker programs from the late 19th century through World War II and beyond, detailing how restrictive immigration policies and labor shortages shaped these initiatives. It also explores the dissolution of the Bracero Program and the emergence of labor movements advocating for the rights of these vulnerable workers. Sensitive topics include exploitative labor practices and systemic racial discrimination.