Republican Sen. convinced of favorable visa policies from the American President
Senator Orrin Hatch on Tuesday told Morning Consult that he expects President Trump will not weaken the H-1B visa scheme. Hatch said that he discussed the economic benefits of preserving and expanding H-1B visas in several meetings with President Trump.
The Chairman of The Senate Finance Committee and a long-time ally of Silicon Valley, Hatch said that Trump recognizes the importance of high-skilled guest worker program.
“Anything that creates jobs, anything that moves this economy forward. And I think he can put political feelings aside. And I expect him to, and I’ll make sure he does,” Hatch told Morning Consult.
The Republican Senator from Utah is expected to roll out a technology-focused “Innovative Agenda for the 155thCongress,” which is likely to be a push for an increase in H-1B visa number based on market conditions and demand.
He introduced a similar measure in 2015, which would’ve raised the annual cap for H-1B visas to between 115,000 to 195,000, The Morning Consult reported.
Hatch expressed confidence that he can persuade the president not to weaken the program that’s popular with US technology firms.
“You count on me getting across to him,” Hatch told Morning Consult during a phone interview. “I think I have already, but I’m going to continue until there’s no question he understands me.”
“While some have expressed some reservations about the impact of high-skilled immigration on American jobs, I believe we can and will be able to make a convincing case for reform. That data is on our side,” he added.