The Justice Department has issued a stern warning to employers hiring foreign employees – Don’t discriminate against American workers.
On the campaign trail, Donald Trump’s immigration policy vowed to put “Americans first.”
“The influx of foreign workers holds down salaries, keeps unemployment high, and makes it difficult for poor and working class Americans,” he explained. It also effects “immigrants themselves and their children” preventing them from “earning a middle class wage.”
Now, the administration is cracking down on companies exploiting of the H-1B visa program.
Via the Washington Examiner:
The Justice Department warned employers Monday not to discriminate against U.S. workers by over-hiring foreign workers under the H-1B visa program.
Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division Tom Wheeler said in a release that the Justice Department will “not tolerate employers misusing the H-1B visa process to discriminate against U.S. workers.”
“U.S. workers should not be placed in a disfavored status, and the department is wholeheartedly committed to investigating and vigorously prosecuting these claims,” he said.
The H-1B program is favored, for example, by the tech industry, particularly far-left Silicon Valley. It allows them to temporarily hire such workers. There has been an uproar over instances where companies fire their American workers and force them to train their foreign replacements.
The Department of Homeland Security also announced they would tighten up the program to help eliminate fraudulent use of the visa program.
During his confirmation hearing, Attorney General Jeff Sessions blasted the program, saying “It’s simply wrong to think that we’re in a totally open world and that any American with a job can be replaced if somebody in the world is willing to take a job for less pay.”
Still, some critics suggest the administration’s latest crackdown isn’t strong enough.
Peter Robbio, a spokesman for a limited immigration advocacy group, said “More oversight is a good start, but employers can still use the program legally to depress wages and replace American workers.”
“That falls short of the promises President Trump made to protect American workers,” he added.
Administration officials however, stated more actions may be forthcoming.
“The Trump administration will be enforcing laws protecting American workers from discriminating hiring factors,” White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer announced.
Is the President following through on his promise to put American workers first? Tell us what you think below.
