White House’s H-1B proclamation sparks confusion and backlash

On Friday, President Trump signed a proclamation entitled “Restriction of Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers,” to many people’s excitement. However, the White House subsequently issued a clarification that appears to frustrate many people’s expectations about the order, leading to outcries of confusion over the weekend.

The order detailed the White House’s plan to impose a $100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications — a much heavier financial burden on the employer than the previous total of roughly $10,000 in fees, as Blaze News previously reported. It was expected that this new fee would shift hiring incentives back toward American workers rather than imported foreign labor, primarily from India, through visa programs.

‘The problem is that he missed the ones that already entered. … No more half measures.’

However, confusion over the announcement spread when a clip emerged of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, standing next to President Trump in the Oval Office, repeatedly saying that the new $100,000 fee would apply annually to H-1B visa holders.

“$100,000 per year,” Lutnick emphasized.

RELATED: American jobs first: Hefty new H-1B visa fee will likely curb legal immigration, especially from India

Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

According to the White House’s clarification, the $100,000 fee is a one-time fee that applies only to new H-1B visa applications. It also does not prevent any current visa holder from traveling in or out of the United States.

The White House’s clarification described this proclamation as “an important, initial, and incremental step to reform the H-1B visa program to curb abuses and protect American workers.”

The comments under White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s post about the clarification were overwhelmingly negative.

“The problem is that he missed the ones that already entered. Trump campaigned on sending them all back. Now it’s time to SEND THEM ALL BACK. No more half measures,” journalist August Takala quipped.

While the clarification was likely prompted by mixed messaging from members of the administration, more clarification may be necessary to understand why the measures against the fraud and abuse of the H-1B visas are not more stringent.

“President Trump promised to put American workers first, and this commonsense action does just that by discouraging companies from spamming the system and driving down American wages. It also gives certainty to American businesses who actually want to bring high-skilled workers to our great country but have been trampled on by abuses of the system,” White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told Blaze News.

“The text of the Proclamation is very clear and it is unfortunate that uninformed reporters and corporate lawyers attempted to sow chaos and confusion. Americans have another reason to celebrate unprecedented action by President Trump to protect Americans from cheap, foreign labor.”

Blaze News contacted the commerce secretary’s press office but did not receive a response before publication.

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