The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is halting efforts to bring more H-2B foreign visa workers to the United States to take nonagricultural jobs after mounting public opposition.
In March, Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf announced his plan to bring an additional 35,000 H-2B foreign visa workers to the U.S. to take nonagricultural jobs in landscaping, construction, seafood processing, hotels and restaurants, and amusement parks.
On Thursday, DHS officials said they were halting the plan to bring in those additional 35,000 H-2B foreign visa workers “due to present economic circumstances” wherein 6.6 million Americans have now filed jobless claims in the midst of the Chinese coronavirus crisis.
A DHS spokesperson wrote in a statement:
To clear up various misreporting — DHS’s rule on the H-2B cap is on hold pending review due to present economic circumstances. No additional H-2B visas will be released until further notice. Per the statute, H-2B allocations are set in consultation with [the Labor Department].
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