Despite rhetoric to the contrary, additional visas are being made available for more temporary foreign workers to come to Arizona and elsewhere in the United States on a seasonal basis. While President Donald Trump has become known for his harsh stance on immigration, he has made use of the same visa program to staff his own hotels and resorts.
These temporary seasonal visas are usually issued to workers who come from abroad to work in seasonal businesses like resorts, landscaping companies and fishing. The work is often associated with low pay, intense physical labor and lengthy hours. An additional 15,000 of these temporary seasonal non-agricultural visas will be granted, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
The department labeled the additional visas as a form of support to American businesses, who claim that they cannot find people in the United States willing to work these seasonal jobs. The permits in question, called H-2 visas, are generally associated with summer and other seasonal labor at amusement parks or other outdoor environments in which the weather has a strong influence on demand for the jobs and for hiring. Concerns have been raised about the program, especially regarding its expansion without improved wages and protections for the seasonal migrant workers who receive the visas. Many workers who travel to the United States on these visas receive extremely low pay and have limited ability to speak out or defend their rights on the job, despite the creation of a government tip line.
People dealing with immigration issues, seeking a visa to enter to the U.S. or needing to resolve issues with overstays, alleged visa violations or denials of entry to students, workers and others should consult an immigration lawyer. Counsel can help immigrants, refugees and people in the U.S. on non-immigrant visas to navigate the system and protect their rights, especially at a time when immigration is a hot-button issue.