An executive order could come anytime this week: report.
In a late night tweet, President Trump announced on Monday that he will sign an executive order “temporarily” suspending all immigration to the United States. The president said the move is to “protect the jobs” of U.S. citizens, in the wake of an economic meltdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens, I will be signing an Executive Order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States!” Trump tweeted on Monday night, without offering any details.
Around 20 million U.S. jobs have been lost since the onset of the pandemic in the country last month.
“President Trump is committed to protecting the health and economic well-being of American citizens as we face unprecedented times,” said White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany in a statement on Tuesday morning.
She added, “As President Trump has said, ‘Decades of record immigration have produced lower wages and higher unemployment for our citizens, especially for African-American and Latino workers. At a time when Americans are looking to get back to work, action is necessary.”
Predictably, Trump’s tweet has triggered panic among foreigners currently in the United States on H-1B visas, even though it is not clear how the executive order is going to affect them.
One twitter user, @diaodiao_yang, wrote. “I am an H1B worker. After working for the same firm for 3 years, my visa will be up for renewal this August. Trump’s immigration ban might result in me not being able to get a new visa, thus not being able to continue my employment.”
https://twitter.com/diaodiao_yang/status/1252606858864590849
Already H-1B employees have faced mass layoffs, especially those working as contractors. A New Jersey-based immigration lawyer told the American Bazaar on Monday that she knows of “hundreds of H-1B workers” who have been laid off.
Once an H-1B visa holder loses the lob, he or she has to find another employer willing to sponsor a visa in order to stay in the country within 60 days. With the economy in dire situation, it’s an impossible task.
The New York Times reported on Tuesday that Trump could “exempt large groups of workers from the ban, including farm laborers, health care workers and perhaps high-tech employees.”
However, Trump’s rationale that he needs “to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens” indicates that the H-1B program might also be a target.
The paper said “the order could come as soon as Tuesday, though probably later in the week.”
Any crackdown on H-1B visas is likely to be popular among the president’s base, which sees the visa program as a mortal threat to American workers.
While the president cannot ban H-1B holders who are already in the United States and are currently employed, it is possible to cancel the rollout of visas for applicants in the next fiscal year.
In fact, critics of H-1B have denounced the USCIS decision to go ahead with the H-1B lottery.
“There’s zero reason to import foreign laborers while millions of Americans are losing their jobs,” Ryan James Girdusky, a columnist for the rightwing TownHall.com wrote. “President Trump could protect American workers by canceling this year’s H-1B lottery — but it looks like it’s going to proceed as usual.
“Even in good times, the H-1B program was rife with abuse. Congress created it in 1990 with the idea to allow businesses to import foreign workers for highly specialized jobs that couldn’t be filled domestically. But the legislation was written in such a way that the program could be used to displace qualified Americans with lower-wage guest workers.”
6 Comments
Someone is LYING and using my name as an IMPOSTOR. PLEASE REMOVE the comment posted by a faker using name or I will have my attorney send Americanbazaar a legal C&D order! I would NEVER say anything hateful against any group. I am against outsourcing of jobs to another country as we have record 40 million unemployed Americans now who can do the work.
Isn’t America a country of immigrants? How does banning immigrants from India fit into that philosophy? Is this a country for immigrants from Europe only?
Yes!! Finally this President is living up to his declared mandate. GET RID OF ALL THE VISA HOARDING INDIAN BUMS , DEPORT THEM ALL BACK TO INDIA. No one needs or wants indians in the USA, they’re worse than any race or ethnic group in the whole world, racist and discriminatory to the core. US needs to be eradicated of the INDIAN virus first before we get rid of the COVID virus. indians, pack your bags and go home, you’re not welcome here any more.
Right Zimni, Did you take a bath and brush your teeth today, You live in USA not Polska.
Mr. Prusinski,
Your name certainly doesn’t sound like a an American name so somewhere in your past your ancestors chose to immigrate to the USA. The USA is a melting pot of great races that have come together and made us great. We have also fostered a great amount of lazy USA citizens that would prefer to receive a handout rather than get an education or work to become a productive citizen. I have worked with H1B workers from India for many years and found them to be intelligent, hardworking and LEGAL….meaning they applied to come here legally, they work, pay taxes and want a chance at the American dream. Mr. Prusinski I am embarrassed that you would be an American citizen with your discriminatory remarks and lack of sophistication.
Mr. Prusinski: This is the best country in the world—mainly because of talented legal immigrants!
If you click the link below you will see how a common American —most of the times —treats Indians who are here legally and serving the community faithfully:
This is Dr. Uma Madhusudana. She is working in the New York Hospital treating Covid19 patients. Has reportedly saved many lives. More than 100 cars with recovered patients, their relatives, and police passed in front of her house to express their gratitude to her.
Here is the link:
https://www.indiatoday.in/trending-news/story/indian-origin-doctor-in-us-honoured-in-front-of-her-house-with-a-huge-parade-viral-video-1669426-2020-04-21