FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 23, 2020
Contact
Spencer Tilger | spencer@justiceinmotion.org | (206) 295 0606
Justice in Motion Demands Worker Protections, Not Nativist Bans in Response to New Presidential Proclamation
BROOKLYN, NY – Yesterday, President Trump suspended H-1B, H-2B, H-4, L-1, and certain J-1 visas through the end of the year. Justice in Motion Policy Manager, Jeremy McLean, issued the following statement in response:
“Suspending non-immigrant work visas to address record-high unemployment is more than bad policy. It is an attempt to shift the blame from the Trump administration’s disastrous coronavirus response to the migrants who have kept the country going during this difficult time.
“While there are many systemic issues with non-immigrant visa programs, if the administration truly wanted to protect workers, it would increase worker protections for everyone. Instead, many essential workers have been forced to work without personal protective equipment, mandatory social distancing, paid-sick leave, and face retaliation for raising concerns about their conditions.
“Make no mistake, this proclamation is a thinly veiled attack on migrants. Not only will it not protect American workers, it will inflict immense suffering on migrant workers, many of whom have gone into debt to pay fees for visas they will no longer receive. The proclamation does nothing to address this issue, nor does it offer additional protections to the hundreds of thousands of exempted migrant workers who will still be allowed to work in the United States this year. Justice in Motion rejects the administration’s xenophobic framing of this issue, and calls on the government to protect all workers in order to ensure a safe and fair economic recovery for everyone.”
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Justice in Motion protects migrant rights by ensuring justice across borders. Our unique network of on-the-ground human rights defenders in Mexico and Central America partner with U.S. advocates to make sure that wherever migrants go, their rights will follow.