Senior Policy Adviser Stephen Miller at a border security roundtable with President Donald Trump.
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President Donald Trump extended the ban on large numbers of immigration visas on Monday night, adding restrictions to new categories of foreign workers that will prevent hundreds of thousands of immigrants from entering the country. The administration says the measure will prevent foreign workers from filling more than 500,000 jobs, including the highly skilled positions covered by H-1B visas, as well as preventing large numbers of temporary workers from entering low-skilled jobs. Trump first announced efforts to reduce legal immigration in April, as the pandemic was gathering steam, and will now extend those restrictions until the end of the year. Business groups strongly condemned the measure; The United States Chamber of Commerce said the restrictions could delay the country’s economic recovery.
As part of the April executive order, Trump suspended the issuance of green cards, which allow foreigners to live and work in the U.S. USA With some restrictions and offer a path to citizenship. Exceptions have been established to allow some agricultural workers, specific health professionals, and food service employees. There are also potential loopholes that could continue to allow au pairs to come to the US. USA “The proclamation exempts those already in the United States, as well as valid visa holders abroad,” reports Reuters, “but they must have an official travel document that allows entry into the United States.”
“Visa processing at US consulates. USA Abroad it has already collapsed. State Department visa statistics show that the number of nonimmigrant visas issued each month has fallen more than 90 percent since February, ”reports the Washington Post. “Last month, the United States granted just over 40,000 non-immigrant visas, which include tourist and other short-term visitor visas, compared to 670,000 in January, according to the data.”
