Biden Gives Out 22k More Seasonal Work Visas as Millions of Americans Remain Jobless
Number added to the 66,000 such visas available annually to foreigners
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The Biden administration is set to give out an additional 22,000 H-2B seasonal work visas so companies can bring in 22k additional foreign workers, despite Americans struggling for work under the coronavirus pandemic.
The visas, which are used during labor shortages, will be added to the 66,000 such visas available annually to foreigners.
The Department of Homeland Security announced it wants more opportunities for foreign workers.
The department said in a statement:
“As the nation’s economy continues to reopen safely, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is taking action to ensure that American businesses are equipped with the resources needed to recover successfully and contribute to the economic health of local communities.
“In light of increased labor demands, DHS is announcing a supplemental increase of 22,000 visas for the H-2B Temporary Non-Agricultural Worker program."
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"The additional visas will be made available in the coming months via a temporary final rule in the Federal Register,” DHS added.
With Biden's Executive Order 14010 on ‘Creating a Comprehensive Regional Framework to Address the Causes of Migration, 6,000 of these visas will be reserved for nationals of the Northern Triangle countries of Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala.”
So Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and the DHS are now worrying about offering 6,000 jobs to people coming in from Central America before Americans.
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Mayorkas commented on the decision in a series of tweets on Tuesday.
“The H-2B program is designed to help U.S. employers fill temporary, seasonal jobs while safeguarding the livelihoods of American workers,” he tweeted.
The H-2B program is designed to help U.S. employers fill temporary seasonal jobs, while safeguarding the livelihoods of American workers. https://t.co/HB8yKmlZaK
— Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (@SecMayorkas) April 20, 2021
Additional visas would likely cut down on border labor hours where U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents work as babysitters for unaccompanied children.
The visas will cut down on the need for people to illegally cross the border to work.
The news comes as 9.7 million Americans reported being out of work, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Earlier this month, Biden Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen called for a minimum corporate tax rate which, in effect, would prevent American companies from relocating offshore to escape the forthcoming tax hikes.
Axios reported that "by trying to convince other countries to impose a global minimum tax, Yellen is acknowledging the risks to the American economy if it acts alone in raising corporate rates."
