Report: Trump Wants 'Highly Skilled' Immigrants, But Policies Have Them Fleeing

President Donald Trump has vowed to bring in "highly skilled" immigrants through the H-1B visa program rather than low-skilled workers, but some of those H-1B applicants are being forced to leave the country under Trump's own policies, Business Insider reports.

"I didn't think his policies were going to affect H-1B visas — people who work hard and are educated and who follow all the rules," Leo Wang told the website. "This is supposed to be the place where you are very likely to achieve your dream if you work hard and follow the rules, and I feel like I'm one of the very unlucky ones who fell through the cracks. The American dream fell short for me."

Wang is now looking for work back in his native China — or another country — after his H-1B visa application was rejected earlier this year.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services wouldn't comment on his case, but told Business Insider that each case is evaluated on an individual basis and can be appealed.

Cases like Wang's appear to have fallen victim to President Trump's Buy American, Hire American executive order signed in April 2017. Reaz Jafri, a lawyer who advises companies seeking to sponsor H-1B workers said such denials have risen in the past two years.

"H1-B holders in the United States can rest assured that changes are soon coming which will bring both simplicity and certainty to your stay, including a potential path to citizenship," Trump tweeted on January 11. "We want to encourage talented and highly skilled people to pursue career options in the U.S."

But immigration experts say H-1B visa holders already have such a path to citizenship, and that the Trump White House has done little to lure those talented and highly skilled foreigners to the United States.

"I don't think anyone can identify a single measure the administration has done to encourage more people to come into the country legally," Stuart Anderson, executive director of the National Foundation for American Policy, told Business Insider. "I think anyone looking at the policies should focus on the actions, not the words. I think if you look at the actions, there are actions they could take to make improved policies, but we haven't seen them taken."