Washington, D.C.: As the Trump Administration intentionally fails to address a national health crisis that has already claimed the lives of over 120,000 people in the U.S., they continue to double down on criminalizing immigrant communities while still exploiting their labor to carry us through the pandemic. This week’s executive order extended the 60 day ban on the issuance of green cards announced in April and further expands the ban to H‑1B, H‑2B, L, and certain J non-immigrant visas through the end of the year. This primarily targets high-skilled and guest workers, undermining family reunification and diversity visa programs.
SAALT’s Executive Director Lakshmi Sridaran said,“Over 70 percent of H1B visa holders in the U.S. are from South Asian countries. Our community members and their families continue to be jeopardized because of these restrictions. If the goal was to protect U.S. workers, they would be given PPE, sick days, and healthcare in the midst of this deadly pandemic. From the Muslim Ban to targeting a range of immigrant populations from H‑1B visaholders to DACA recipients, this administration’s racist and anti-immigrant agenda underscores their abysmal failure in leadership.”
For more information on who will be impacted by this latest executive order, check out this fact sheet from the Center for Immigrant Rights Clinic at Penn State Law.
Contact: sophia@saalt.org
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