The federal government is allowing an extra 15,000 US visas for temporary seasonal workers to aid American businesses at risk of irreparable damage due to a labor shortage. This was according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), on Monday.
John Kelly, the Secretary of the DHS, discovered after consultation with Alexander Acosta, the Labor Secretary, that there was a dearth of willing and qualified US workers available to fill temporary non-agricultural positions, a statement from the department revealed. Kelly said that the department was providing a one-off increase to the annual cap set by Congress as a demonstration of their commitment to supporting US businesses. Some seasonal businesses, including seafood harvesters and processors, resorts, and landscaping companies have sought permission to hire more temporary workers.
Congress initially set the worker cap for the fiscal year at 66,000. But, in May, Kelly was authorized by lawmakers to increase the number of temporary US visas by another 70,000 and begged him to issue them. Advocates for tougher limits on immigration, who believe jobs should be given to American workers, have criticized the move.
Roy Beck, the president of NumbersUSA, says the move will undermine the progress reported in the extra effort made by employers to recruit more American workers for low-skilled jobs, including adding incentives such as higher wages. He accused Congress and the administration of failing to keep the President’s election campaign promise to put US workers first.