Trump promised migration relief for farm and hotel workers
DORAL, FL – President Donald Trump said Thursday during a meeting with his Cabinet that he will provide migration relief for undocumented people working in farms and hotels.
“We have to take care of our farmers, the hotels and, you know, the various places where they tend to, where they tend to need people.”
Trump said migration relief will be given to people who has already departed the country in an amicable way.
“We’re going to work with them right from the beginning on, trying to get them back in legally. So, it gives you real incentive. Otherwise, they never come back. They’ll never be allowed once a certain period of time goes by, which is probably going to be 60 days,” he said.
The announcement comes after employers on a national level spoke out on behalf of their workers highlighting their value and hard-working spirit, while seasonal businesses— that rely heavily on foreign workers— expressed concerns on labor supply as the administration hasn’t released yet H-2B visas, especially issued to allow foreign nationals to work in temporary non-agricultural jobs.
About this, the administration said last week that the visas would be issued just in time for the summer season when several businesses need them the most.
But judging by statistics from the Departments of Labor and Agriculture, a vast majority of workers haven’t arrived in the U.S. with H-2A or H-2B visas. Data compiled by the institutions revealed about half of the two million farm workers in the country lack legal immigration status.
“So, a farmer will come in with a letter concerning certain people, saying they’re great, they’re working hard. We’re going to slow it down a little bit for them, and then we’re going to ultimately bring them back. They’ll go out. They’re going to come back as legal workers.”
The American Business Immigration Coalition, that represents employers of immigrants, has called on Congress to take action. They say illegal migration can be slowed down while simultaneously action is taken to bring people in legally and give those already in the U.S. a way to stay.
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