US tech-giants say Trump's suspension of work visas 'actually harms' country

Amazon, Apple and Facebook among other US tech companies and organisations that have signed onto a court filing against US President Donald Trump’s move of restricting work visas for skilled workers including H1-B visas saying that it hurts the country. According to the brief that was filed in federal court on Monday in support of the suit by the US Chamber of Commerce and trade groups against the proclamation issued by Trump back in June, the suspension of non-immigrant visa programs ‘actually harms’ workers and economy that the US President supposedly wants to ‘protect’. 

"The president's suspension of nonimmigrant visa programs, supposedly to 'protect' American workers, actually harms those workers, their employers, and the economy," said the brief by Facebook, Apple and Amazon, as reported by an international agency. 

These companies are not only seeking a temporary restraining order but also a preliminary injunction citing disruption in their recruiting plans due to the  Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) directive. According to the more than 50 American firms, the suspension of visas would hinder the already planned hiring of international students and thus dismantling the recruiting processes. Over a dozen US firms have relied on the placement process to identify as well as train te future employees, including international students. 

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Democratic lawmakers Write To Trump administration

Earlier this month, a group of senior Democratic lawmakers have united to urge the White House to exempt healthcare workers from the temporary suspension of the entry of certain workers from other countries. This came after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order preventing federal agencies from contracting or subcontracting foreign workers and mainly those on H-1B visa from hiring. Just over a month ago,  the US government suspended the H-1B visas along with other types of foreign work visas until the end of 2020 to protect American workers ahead of presidential elections.

The reasoning that Trump administration has given for the move is that it takes away the jobs for American citizens who require additional support due to the coronavirus situation in the country. The H-1B visa is basically a non-immigrant visa that allows American companies to hire foreign employers in special occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise.

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