President Donald Trump this week ignited a wave of criticism from conservatives when he suggested the United States needed a path for highly skilled foreign workers to enter the country.
Trump’s comments on the H-1B visa program echo the perspective of business leaders but have been controversial among members of his base who want a more hardline approach to immigration.
At the same time, the Trump administration has been quietly pushing a series of new restrictions on other visas targeting students and foreign journalists, raising a different set of concerns for some over the future of academic and press freedom.
A proposed Department of Homeland Security rule would change existing policy by granting visa holders with F, J or I classifications – academic students, exchange visitors and members of foreign media – admission to the U.S. for a fixed time period. Such individuals are currently permitted to stay indefinitely as long as they’re abiding by the terms of their visa.
If the new rule, first outlined in August, is implemented, foreign students and exchange visitors would be allowed to stay in the U.S. for the duration of their programs, up to four years. Foreign journalists would be authorized to stay in the U.S. for up to 240 days with the exception of those from China, who would be permitted up to 90 days in the country.
