Trump Executive Order Significantly Limits Work Visas Through 2020

Ban on most new green cards extended through the year as well

Today, President Trump signed an executive order placing significant restrictions on the issuance of new work visas through 2020. The ban covers:

(a)  an H-1B or H-2B visa, and any alien accompanying or following to join such alien;

(b)  a J visa, to the extent the alien is participating in an intern, trainee, teacher, camp counselor, au pair, or summer work travel program, and any alien accompanying or following to join such alien; and

(c)  an L visa, and any alien accompanying or following to join such alien.

The executive order also extends the prohibition on issuing most new green cards that was originally supposed to last 60 days and expire today. Many commentators saw it coming from the start that this extension would happen.

The restrictions were made known under the sinister headline of a "Proclamation Suspending Entry of Aliens Who Present a Risk to the U.S. Labor Market Following the Coronavirus Outbreak". The trope of scary foreigners coming and "taking away" jobs from Americans reigns supreme. When it comes to immigration law, the Trump administration has certainly not let any good crisis go to waste.