Immigration in Pandemic Times – Last Gasps of the Trump Administration

The virus is negatively impacted job-holders all over the world, but new changes to US immigration laws may have definite effects on US workers.

• This past Tuesday, a federal judge ruled against Trump’s attempts to limit immigration through restrictions on H-1B visas. The new changes at DHS would have limited the jobs that H-1B visa workers could do in the United States and the amount of time that they could remain in the United States. The DOL rule, which was also enjoined, raised the minimum wage that employers must pay to H-1B workers. The decision was based on the fact that Trump administration did follow proper administrative rule-making procedures in enacting these new rules. This ruling is a win for H-1B workers.

• Today, federal court judge Nicholas Garaufis ordered the full restoration of the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program. Judge Garaufis ordered the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to publicly and prominently display on their website an announcement that they are accepting new applications from new applicants who have not been past beneficiaries of the program. Moreover, he ruled that applicant work permits would last for two years, not one. This will allow over 300,000 more people to access DACA for the first time.

• The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit that alleges that Facebook is guilty of setting aside jobs for thousands of international workers. Further, the lawsuit accuses the social media company of not considering workers from the United States in favor of immigrants. Facebook has stated that they are working on the suit but that they cannot comment on the current situation.

Photo Credit: Susan Ruggles