The picks for cabinet members with a direct impact on immigration policy by President-Elect, Donald Trump show that a more rigid, yet pragmatic enforcement of existing laws is on the cards under his administration. This is according to the former US Citizenship and Immigration Services chief counsel in the Department of Homeland Security, Lynden Melmed, who is now a partner with the law firm, Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP.
Foreign workers in Silicon Valley are already cautious of Trump’s immigration stance. Tech firms, which make heavy use of H-1B US visas for high-skilled workers, are also waiting to see if the program will change under the new administration. Tougher immigration policies have been a cornerstone of Trump’s campaign. But, beyond the controversial wall on the border between Mexico and the US, the President-Elect also wants to reduce legal immigration and put in new controls on immigration to ensure that American workers are offered open jobs ahead of foreign immigrants.
Trump’s choices for the new heads of the Homeland Security, Justice Labor and State departments, which will need confirmation by the US Senate, suggest that he intends to keep his promises.
Melmed says that Trump’s choices focus on staying competitive in a global economy, as well as complying with the law and that technology companies, in particular, should be prepared to undergo scrutiny on how they use the H-1B US visa program. The spotlight is also likely to be on firms that overuse the program and pay low wages to their workers.