The Trump administration is developing a new strategy to meet the needs of farmers and hotel operators who rely on migrant workers while also preserving its commitment to reduce illegal immigration, according to a new report.
The report from Axios says that the newly created Office of Immigration Policy within the U.S. Department of Labor is designed to simplify and expedite the process for legally getting approval to allow non-citizens into the United States to fill certain types of jobs.
The office, it said, came in response to employer concerns about a labor shortage. The report estimated that the illegal immigrant workforce used by some farms has dropped 70 percent.
The report cited officials it did not name as saying the office would have “customer-centered policies” to assist employers.
Illegal immigrants already in America would not be helped by the new office, the report said, noting that paperwork for the new program needs to be completed in a migrant worker’s home country before attempting to enter the U.S.
“This is not amnesty. It’s not amnesty lite,” a senior administration official said.
“No one who is illegally here is being given a pathway to citizenship or residency,” the official said.
“President Trump is a tireless advocate for American farmers — they keep our families fed and our country prosperous,” White House representative Abigail Jackson said.
“He trusts farmers and is committed to ensuring they have the workforce needed to remain successful,” she said.
Do you want to see Trump consider the hotel and farming industries when it comes to mass deportations?
The H-2A visa process currently exists for farmers who want to bring in seasonal workers from other countries, but farmers must document there is a shortage of Americans to do the work, according to the New York Post.
Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, said farmers should have prepared to wean themselves off of illegal immigrant labor given Trump’s promise of deportations.
“They should have known this was coming,” Krikorian said.
“That’s not the way it has to be done. That is the business model they have followed. And they should have known eight months ago that they needed to start making adjustments,” he said Krikorian.
Krikorian said farmers have tried to bring in the cheapest labor possible by end-running the H-2A process.
“It’s an unlimited program, but it has certain requirements related to pay and transportation and housing. And the farmers just want to not bother. Well, sorry, but they’ve had eight months to work with companies that actually arrange the H-2A process,” he said.
As the Trump administration bends to address the needs of farmers and hotels, it has also issued new rules to prevent illegal immigrants from participating in federally funded workforce development programs.
The U.S. Department of Labor announced that any agency funded by Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and related programs has to be sure a participant is legally authorized to work in the U.S. before giving them any federally funded assistance.
“America’s workforce is stronger than ever under President Trump’s leadership because he is committed to upholding the rule of law and putting American workers first,” Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said.
“Our updated guidance makes clear that taxpayer-funded workforce services are reserved for individuals who are authorized to work in the United States, as required by federal law. By ensuring these programs serve their intended purpose, we’re protecting good-paying jobs for American workers and reaffirming this Administration’s commitment to securing our borders and ending illegal immigration,” she said.
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