H-2B Coalition: Statement on President Trump’s “Proclamation on Suspension of Entry of Immigrants and Nonimmigrants Who Continue to Present a Risk to the United States Labor Market”

The H-2B Workforce Coalition is deeply disheartened by the President’s proclamation extending the suspension on the entry of temporary workers enrolled in the H-2B visa program through March 31, 2021. As the nation continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, the ability to hire supplemental H-2B workers, when U.S. workers are not available, will play an integral role in bolstering the nation’s economy and creating new jobs for American workers. 

Seasonal businesses take seriously our role in our nation’s economic recovery. We can best contribute to the economy by employing a full workforce, including our American workers and supplemental H-2B workers who support those American jobs. H-2B employers, many of which are small businesses, are committed to hiring any willing and able American workers before turning to H-2B workers, as the program currently requires. 

The businesses that currently need workers have stepped up their recruitment of American workers, but due to factors such as the seasonality of the work, the nature of the work, and the location of the job, there are instances where supplemental H-2B workers are still needed. 

For these reasons, we strongly urge the Administration to re-visit the order’s restriction on the issuance of H-2B visas. While seasonal employers are actively recruiting U.S. workers, many American workers are not currently seeking temporary employment because they have returned to their former jobs as state restrictions eased, are not interested in temporary often physically demanding jobs, or are unable to work full time due to health or child care considerations. A 2020 General Accountability Office report concluded that “counties with H-2B employers generally had lower unemployment rates and higher average weekly wages than counties that do not have any H-2B employers.”

Further, the H-2B program protects the jobs of the full-time, year round American workers, who rely on H-2B workers to sustain their jobs. Every H-2B worker supports 4.64 American jobs.

We urge the Administration to promptly review the proclamation to lessen its negative impact on seasonal businesses, their American workers and their ability to contribute to our country’s economic recovery.