{"id":22797,"date":"2020-04-13T13:30:54","date_gmt":"2020-04-13T17:30:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.immigrationreform.com\/?p=22797"},"modified":"2020-04-13T13:30:57","modified_gmt":"2020-04-13T17:30:57","slug":"visa-sanctions-covid-19-security-immigrationreform-com","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.immigrationreform.com\/2020\/04\/13\/visa-sanctions-covid-19-security-immigrationreform-com\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump Uses Visa Sanctions to Secure Public Health and Economic Security"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Citing a need to ensure “the repatriation of foreign nationals who violate the laws of the United States,” President Donald Trump on Friday issue<\/a>d<\/a> a memorandum<\/a> stating that he has \u2013 and will use – authority to impose visa sanctions on countries that refuse or delay accepting deported citizens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The memo,\nwhich was sent to the secretaries of State and Department of Homeland Security\n(DHS), says that due to \u201cthe profound and unique public health risks posed by\nthe novel (new) coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2, the need for that cooperation\nand timely and effective implementation is greater than ever before.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump added that the U.S. \u201cmust be able to effectuate the repatriation of foreign nationals who violate the laws of the United States.\u201d While the Obama administration did not utilize this authority, the Trump administration used it<\/a> in 2017 against Cambodia, Eritrea, Guinea, and Sierra Leone due to their refusal to repatriate criminal illegal aliens. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Specifically,\nthe memo instructs Acting Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Chad\nWolf to notify Secretary of State Mike Pompeo if a country is delaying or\nrefusing to accept deported individuals and then Pompeo has seven days to\ninitiate a plan to impose visa sanctions. The executive action expires December\n31.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While no specific countries were named, administration officials told the Wall Street Journal<\/a> that it is a means to apply direct pressure on Mexico and Central American nations<\/a> that have been threatening to stop all deportation flights<\/a> coming from the U.S. citing concerns about the spread of COVID-19. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new directive is the latest effort by the administration to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus. Last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an order<\/a> that gave border agents authority to immediately deport to Mexico (or their home countries) all migrants who arrive at the U.S. border.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the\npotential use of visa sanctions might be a useful tool to ensure public health\nsecurity, it may be equally useful in protection of the nation\u2019s economic\nsecurity, particularly if countries balk at taking back citizens whose status\nwas tied to their employment status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With more\nthan 300,000 of Indian nationals in the U.S. working on visas, specifically\nH-1Bs, the Indian government is already trying to convince the Trump\nadministration to back away from the executive order.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After\nlearning that many H-1B visa holders were among the 16 million jobs lost in the\nlast few weeks, the Indian government ramped up lobbying efforts to try to\nconvince the Trump administration to extend the H-1B and other visas for Indian\nnationals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a phone\nconversation with Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Beigun Wednesday,\nIndian Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla did not shy away from making a wildly\nbold request \u2013 extend from 60 to 180 days the time a foreign worker can remain\nin the U.S. while they look for a new job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

India and its lobbyists in the U.S. have been pushing hard against any attempts to reform the abuse-plagued visa program, even accusing<\/a> the U.S. of discriminating against Indians. A bold claim considering Indians have garnered<\/a> 67 percent to 72 percent of the H-1B visas over the last five fiscal years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the Trump administration uses its power to pressure foreign nations, it is important that the American people pressure the administration and the president to protect the American worker from companies that would betray them and foreign nations pursuing their own self-interests. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Citing a need to ensure “the repatriation of foreign nationals who violate the laws of the United States,” President Donald Trump on Friday issued a memorandum stating that he has \u2013 and will use – authority to impose visa sanctions on countries that refuse or delay accepting deported citizens. The memo, which was sent to<\/p>\n

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