This archive report was first published on 24 June 2020.
On June 22, 2020, the Trump administration announced a new executive order suspending visas for certain foreign workers and extending a pause on some green cards until the end of 2020.
The move aims to create jobs for American citizens in the wake of economic turmoil caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the White House.
Approximately 525,000 people, including 170,000 blocked by the decision to extend a ban on some new green cards, will be affected by the new order.
The restrictions do not apply to existing visa holders, but will impact H-1B visas, mostly granted to Indian tech workers, as well as most H-2B visas for seasonal workers, including those in the hospitality industry.
Seasonal workers in the agriculture, food processing industry, and healthcare professionals are exempted from the restrictions.
The order also restricts J-1 short-term exchange visas, mainly granted to university students and foreign au pairs who provide childcare, but excludes professors and scholars.
Furthermore, the order has suspended L visas for managers and other key employees of multinational corporations.
Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, praised the move, stating, “this is a bold move by the Trump administration to protect American jobs.”
However, critics, including the American Civil Liberties Union, have accused the White House of exploiting the Covid-19 pandemic to tighten up immigration laws.
