Donald Trump's move of restricting immigration will be counterproductive: USIBC

Nisha Desai Biswal, president of US India Business Council has said that US President Donald Trump’s recent move of restricting immigration including suspension of H-1B visas will be counterproductive. In an interview with a media outlet, the head of top American business advocacy group has noted that the proclamation of Trump administration is “unfortunate”. While Trump has defended his actions by saying it was essential in a bid to help millions of Americans who became unemployed due to the impact of coronavirus outbreak, Biswal said that these wave of immigration over the years have only benefitted the United States. 

"I think that the United States has benefited greatly over the years by successive waves of immigration and most particularly the skilled workers that have been coming in under these H-1B visas and L-1 one visas that have enabled necessary talent to come in and augment American workers in support of technology fields," President of US India Business Council.

Moreover, the H-1B visa that is popular among the IT workers is also used by employees for companies that are designed to train other Americans for the creation of integrated teams. Such workers also ensure training and grilling of more US citizens to make them fit for the jobs, Therefore, Biswal added, “in curtailing the programme, I think it is actually going to impede the upskilling of American workers to be able to take on many of these jobs”.

"The challenge that companies face is that the work needs to be done and the companies that are providing IT services and the companies that are utilising this talent, if the talent is not available in the United States, I'm worried that the jobs will actually go offshore," she said.

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‘Inhibit economic investment’

President of US India Business Council also noted that since America remains the hub of talent as well as innovation, there are other competitor countries that are currently looking to draw some of these workers to contribute to their nation. Therefore, Biswal said this move will hurt the competitiveness of the United States and “inhibit economic investment” resulting in a counterproductive effect. According to her, the US has been able to grow and lead the research ad development because of attracting ‘best and brightest’ from across the world.

"The US has been able to grow and be at the head of research and development of innovation because we have for over decades and decades been able to draw the best and the brightest from around the world," she said.

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(Inputs: PTI)