President Donald Trump is not against immigrants, according to a prominent Indian-American in the White House. This follows legislation, passed by a Congressional panel, adding further restrictions to the sought after H-1B work US visas, particularly popular with Indian workers.
Raj Shah, the Principal Deputy Press Secretary at the White House, says that the President has put forward several serious immigration proposals favoring enforcement. These also include reforming the current system for legal immigration, making it more merit-based, and which would work better for American workers and for the economy of the US. Shah says he does not believe that Trump’s statements are rhetoric against immigrants, but against illegal immigration.
Shah’s remarks come a few days after vital Congressional committee approval of legislation to raise the minimum wage of H-1B US visa holders from the current $60,000 to $90,000 per annum, while also placing restrictions on the popular work visa, to ban, without exception, employers dependent on the H-1B US visa from using overseas employees to replace domestic workers.
The legislation also increases the time of the no-layoff policy for such employers and their client firms, so long as an employee on an H-1B visa works for them – to prevent them laying off US workers in an equivalent position. Shah called the media coverage of the issue ‘unfair’, saying he that believes wanting an immigration system to support the economy and provide superior vetting is an entirely reasonable position.