MIAMI (AP) — Social media company founded by former president Donald Trump called for a business visa program that he sought to restrict during his term and that many of his allies want him to scale back in a possible second term.
Trump Media & Technology Group, the company behind Truth Social, filed an application in June 2022 for an H-1B visa for a worker earning an annual salary of $65,000, the lowest salary category allowed under the program. Federal immigration data shows the company was granted a visa a few months later. The company says it did not hire the worker.
The visa application paints the image of candidate Trump, who proposed a protectionist program for companies to “hire Americans”, in conflict with businessman Trump, who said his companies would use all tools at their disposal. Records show that the investment company created by Trump’s son-in-law and White House adviser, Jared Kushneralso applied and was allowed to hire a foreigner as an associate under the same visa program.
Trump Media & Technology Group said in a statement that the request “was made under previous leadership,” even though the current CEO, former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and longtime Trump ally Devin Nunes , was already running the company when the application was first filed. with the United States Department of Labor.
“The company has never hired – and does not intend to hire – an employee from the H-1B visa program. When current management became aware of this request, which had been filed under previous management, they quickly terminated the process in November 2022,” the company said in a statement.
Applying for an H-1B visa can cost businesses around $5,000 per employee. Companies can withdraw their petitions even after being approved. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services records data that does not specify when visas are revoked. But a spokeswoman for the Department of Labor, which also tracks H-1B applications, said they have no record of Truth Social requesting a takedown.
A COMMON TOOL FOR TECH COMPANIES
Technology companies typically hire employees using the H-1B program. Trump has never hidden the fact that he used these visas before becoming president, using them primarily to bring in foreign models and some workers for his hotels and resorts, according to a review of petitions filed since 2009.
But with the exception of renewing existing applications, his companies appeared to not have applied for H-1B visas again until Truth Social was founded.
Department of Labor data shows an application was filed by Trump Media & Technology Group for an employee to earn $65,000. It lists Will Wilkerson, the company’s co-founder and former senior vice president of operations, as its employer and an address in Atlanta as its place of employment.
Wilkerson filed a whistleblower complaint in August 2022 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, alleging securities violations by the company. He has been fired, according to the Washington Post, and is cooperating with federal authorities. His lawyers said he would not comment.
“I SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO USE IT”
Trump frequently speaks about the arrival of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, but his policy proposals at the White House also included restrictions on legal immigration, such as family visas and the immigration program. visa lottery.
During a 2016 primary debate, Trump spoke about the H-1B visa program and declared it “very bad” and “unfair” for American workers.
“First of all, I think and know the H-1B very well. And it’s something that I use frankly and I shouldn’t be allowed to use it. We shouldn’t have it,” he said. “Secondly, I think it’s very important to say, well, I’m a businessman and I have to do what I have to do.”
Three months after taking office, Trump issued his “Buy American, Hire American” executive order, which directed Cabinet members to suggest reforms to ensure that H-1B visas were granted to the highest paid or most qualified applicants. to protect American workers. He has previously said the program is used by tech companies to attract foreign workers at lower wages.
During his administration, a study by the nonpartisan National Foundation for American Policy found that the government scrutinized cases more, issuing requests for additional information from companies applying to hire foreign workers and further refusing of petitions.
The “Project 2025” playbook, compiled by allies preparing for Trump’s eventual transition to power, says the H-1B program should be transformed “into an elite mechanism intended exclusively to attract the ‘best and brightest’ brilliant” at the highest wages while simultaneously ensuring that American workers are not disadvantaged by the program. »
Businesses in the professional, scientific and technical services sector account for more than 60% of total visas granted, said Nicolas Morales, an economist in the research department of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond who specializes in labor and migration. Morales said he has found the visa program has been beneficial for small businesses that want to stay in business.
“Winning the H-1B lottery really helps them. This increases their chances of survival,” he said. “Over the next five years, they are more likely to remain active, especially small businesses that rely heavily on a skilled workforce. »
The applications require companies to certify that they will offer foreign workers the same benefits as those offered to U.S. workers and that they will pay more than they pay others with similar or more experience and qualifications than the typical salary for this type of occupation. Businesses must also provide notice of the deposit to workers by posting a notice in two places in the workplace.
Much of the criticism of the H-1B program concerns companies offering wages in lower wage categories to foreign workers. The application filed by Kushner’s investment firm to hire a foreign employee appears to address that complaint.
The Department of Labor certified a document in which Kushner’s investment company said it would pay the employee a salary of $200,000, which is the highest salary level for H-1B visas generally reserved to those who are experts in their field and have high-level responsibilities. Recent data from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services shows the company was granted a visa.
Kushner has not joined the Trump campaign and is pursuing his own business interests by applying for tourism projects in the Balkans.
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