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Democrats Warn Small Firms Will Bear the Consequences of Visa Cuts
 

As the Trump Administration seeks to reduce legal immigration and crack down on foreign workers, Democrats of the House Small Business Committee released a report demonstrating how existing work visa programs fuel American small businesses. Democrats argued that by giving foreign workers the means to enter and work in the United States, visas help to connect small firms with the talent they need to succeed. 

“One simply cannot deny the fundamental impact that immigrants have in shaping America’s small business landscape and meeting small firms’ workforce needs,” said Ranking Member Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY). “I am strongly concerned that the Trump Administration’s rhetoric and policies threaten the future of longstanding visa programs, which help meet important economic needs.” 

The report highlights the impact of two popular visa programs, one for highly-skilled workers, H-1 visas and another for less-skilled seasonal workers, H-2 visas. These visas amount to a significant portion of the small business economy, with thirty percent of companies sponsoring between three and five H-1B visas having fewer than 50 employees. Additionally, H-2 visas help small firms find workers in a variety of seasonal industries, including landscaping and tourism. 

In April of 2017, President Trump signed an Executive Order which directs various federal agencies to reexamine the future of both the H-1 and H-2 visa programs. With the future of these programs at stake, Democrats warned that small businesses will bear the consequences should the initiatives be eliminated or drastically reduced.  

“The extreme anti-immigrant rhetoric coming out of the Trump Administration has left small business owners worried over the future of their workforce,” said Velázquez. “By reducing visas approvals, the Administration could essentially cut off the access that small firms have to hire foreign workers.” 

To protect the interests of small firms, Democrats urged Congress to act to pass comprehensive immigration reform. In February, Committee Democrats released a report highlighting the role that DACA recipients have in boosting entrepreneurship and staring their own small businesses. 

To read the full report, click here.