It’s no secret that Silicon Valley and the tech industry as a whole depends on immigrants for a viable workforce thanks to the many talented individuals from other countries coming over to fuel innovation. With a new executive order that the Trump administration is working on, however, this constant stream of foreign workers could grind to a halt.
The tech industry is still in an uproar over the new President of the United States banning entry to seven Muslim-majority countries, with developments like the Google employee walkout becoming a common occurrence over the last week. However, it would seem that Trump is not done yet as he is showing more signs of aggressively clamping down on immigration.
According to an executive order that is currently being drafted by Trump’s administration, there will be a few changes to the way Visas for workers will be issued. As with his Muslim Ban, the new POTUS is justifying the move as a means of protecting American citizens and prioritizing them for employment.
Bloomberg managed to get a copy of the draft for review purposes, reporting that the tech industry is only going to experience more problems with Trump going forward. This is despite Trump’s assurance to tech leaders that his administration would be working with Silicon Valley.
“Our country’s immigration policies should be designed and implemented to serve, first and foremost, the U.S. national interest,” the draft reads. “Visa programs for foreign workers … should be administered in a manner that protects the civil rights of American workers and current lawful residents, and that prioritizes the protection of American workers — our forgotten working people — and the jobs they hold.”
As the publication pointed out, the working Visa program was meant to enable recruitment of capable foreign employees if there is a shortage of skilled prospects in the US. These skills are usually tied to STEM industries, which are exactly what the tech industry requires of its workers.