Donald Trump’s new Executive Order on Monday, June 22, 2020, that prevents new immigrants to the US until the rest of the year.
The new phase of restrictions prohibits highly skilled workers from entering the US mainly through H-1B visa.
US administration wants to address the widespread unemployment rate caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On April 22, 2020, the US President implemented temporary immigration restrictions for two months. The new executive order signed on June 22, is a following to the president’s earlier decision. He also stopped access to the US Asylum system. Moreover, deporting illegal immigrants at the US borders expedited.
The US officials had also closed non-essential travels across the international borders with Canada and Mexico.
Due to the COVID-19 crises, visa processing in the US Embassies and Consulates abroad had stopped already.
What Does Trump’s New Travel Ban Mean?
June 22, 2020, order expands restrictions on the US visas. It bans applicants of work visas that companies hire in the forestry industry, landscaping services, and technology sector. However, it exempts workers in the following fields:
- Agricultural laborers
- Health-care workers supporting the COVID-19 pandemic
- Food-service employees
The restrictions will ban applicants who want to come to the US. But, the workers currently working in the US will not get affected.
The new visa ban prevents US companies that have a branch abroad to transfer their employees to the US branch. The employees who work in the US can not bring their spouses either. Most importantly, highly skilled workers under the H-1B visa may not move to the country. The new travel bans include:
- H1-B visa category for highly skilled workers.
- H-4 visa for family members of H-1B1, H-1B, H-2A, H-2B, H-3 visas.
- L visas that US companies use to transfer their international employees.
- H-2 visas used by seasonal workers.
- Some J-1 visas for scholars and professors.
The authorities at Trump’s administration has announced that the President’s visa ban will not affect those who have valid visas or seasonal farm-workers.
Trump’s Executive Order on the US Economy
Several US tech companies like Apple, Facebook, Google have complained about the new restrictions. They have tried long to persuade the President, not to regulate a travel ban. They claim travel bans will harm their performance during the economic downturn.
Google chief executive Sundar Pichai tweeted:
“Immigration has contributed immensely to America’s economic success, making it a global leader in tech and Google, the company it is today. Disappointed by today’s proclamation – we’ll continue to stand with immigrants and work to expand opportunity for all.”
2:50 AM – June 23, 2020
The President of the Information Technology Industry Council Jason Oxman has also announced:
“Today’s executive action stands to upend US employers — in the tech sector and beyond — to hire the men and women they need to strengthen their workforce, re-power the economy and drive innovation,”
Critics like Doug Rand, who worked on immigration policy in the Obama administration, oppose new restrictions. They think the administration is using the COVID-19 crisis as an excuse to impose more restrictions on immigrants.”
“The pandemic is a pretext to continue pursuing an extreme restrictionist agenda that most Americans oppose,” Rand said.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate is now at %13.3. Many analysts believe the administration must address it before the crisis gets worse.
Ira Mehlman, a member of Federation for American Immigration Reform, says:
“while 40 million Americans are our of work, there is no need for a new workforce.”
Donald Trump’s new executive order is to decrease the unemployment rate. However, the US Chamber of Commerce had lobbied to soften the limits for months. They believe Trump has adopted a “severe and sweeping attempt to restrict legal immigration,” which could hurt the country’s economic recovery amid the pandemic.
