This archive report was first published on 23 June 2020.
On June 22, 2020, US President Donald Trump announced a new visa freeze for foreign workers, extending a pause on some green cards and suspending visas for other foreign workers until the end of 2020.
The move affects about 525,000 people, including high-skilled tech workers, non-agricultural seasonal helpers, au pairs, and top executives.
Existing visa holders are not expected to be affected under the new restrictions.
The order also applies to H-1B visas, many of which are granted to Indian tech workers, and will suspend most H-2B visas for seasonal workers, except those in agriculture, the food processing industry, and healthcare professionals.
The order will restrict J-1 short-term exchange visas, a category that includes university students and foreign au pairs who provide childcare, but will allow professors and scholars to continue their work.
Additionally, L visas for managers and other key employees of multinational corporations will also be suspended.
While the Trump administration claims the move will create jobs for Americans hurting economically due to the pandemic, critics argue that the White House is exploiting the coronavirus pandemic to tighten up immigration laws.
Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, praised the move, saying it is a 'bold move by the Trump administration to protect American jobs.'
However, the American Civil Liberties Union and many businesses have opposed the new policy, arguing that it is the exploitation of a pandemic to reshape immigration law, while superseding Congress.
