The administration is looking into expanding current visa restrictions for foreign workers to include highly skilled personnel, who are employed by a wide range of industries.
Sources told the Financial Times that several of President Donald Trump’s top advisers and Cabinet members met this week to discuss a possible executive order to suspend the issuances of visas to several classes of individuals.
However, they stressed it is unclear whether President Donald has reached any decision. The Financial Times said groups within the White House are pushing different recommendations.
But unnamed lobbyists said they anticipate that Trump will impose a “pause” on the issuance of new H-1B, H-2B, H4 EAB and L1 intracompany transfer visas, either for an initial 60 days, or for more than 120 days.
Any move likely would not impact those already in the U.S. with those visas.
“Most of this doesn’t help the economy one bit — the H-1B, H-2B and J sectors are not the ones where unemployment rates are really high right now,” said a lawyer familiar with the talks.
CNBC reported the policy could be finalized this week – before Trump’s campaign rally set for Tulsa on Saturday.
It noted that Trump adviser Stephen Miller and Department of Homeland Security official Ken Cuccinelli led the plan. CNBC said Trump supports the effort.
But it said the plan has received a mixed reception from other Trump advisers.
And the Financial Times said business representative expect any executive order to be challenged in court.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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