Trump's H-1B Problems

Charity begins at home.

Those who enter the United States illegally need to become legal residents.

If they choose not to, then they should return to their home countries.

Immigration is a hot topic, and respectably candidates like Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, and others have focused on this problem. For thirty years, next to nothing has been accomplished.

No secure border. No streamlined immigration system. No E-verify.

No welfare reform. Nothing.

Should anyone be surprised by the populist outraging defining the general election this year?

So, Donald Trump is stumping on immigration. He promises to build a big wall with a nice, big, beautiful door in the middle. Trump supporters have pointed out that his closest rival, Ted Cruz, was once a support of more H-1B visa applicants entering the country.

And yet ...

Donald Trump's companies sought visas to import at least1,100 workers [From Reuters]

 Reuters

Donald Trump is staking his run for U.S. president in part on a vow to protect American jobs. But this month, one of his companies, the elite Mar-a-Lago Club resort in Florida, applied to import 70 foreign workers to serve as cooks, wait staff and cleaners.

What?!

A Reuters analysis of U.S. government data reveals that this is business as usual in the New York property magnate's empire.

Yes it is. That has to change. Americans must come first, Donald, and it needs to start in your own business empire.

Trump owns companies that have sought to import at least 1,100 foreign workers on temporary visas since 2000, according to U.S. Department of Labor data reviewed by Reuters. Most of the applications were approved, the data show.

Nine companies majority-owned by Trump have sought to bring in foreign waitresses, cooks, vineyard workers and other laborers on temporary work-visa programs administered by the Labor Department.

Here, I can give Trump a little slack. If he is the majority owner of these companies, then he has a major responsibility to stop the H-1B visa abuse.

The candidate's foreign talent hunt included applications for an assistant golf-course superintendent, an assistant hotel manager and a banquet manager.

Two of his companies, Trump Model Management and Trump Management Group LLC, have sought visas for nearly 250 foreign fashion models, the records show.

250?!

Trump’s presidential campaign and a lawyer for the businessman declined to comment. The Mar-a-Lago Club could not be reached for comment.

For this an other not-so convenient uestions, Trump reasons to speak. Why?

The analysis of Trump's history of actively importing foreign workers comes as he has emerged as an early front-runner in the race for the Republican nomination in the November 2016 presidential election. Trump has positioned himself as a champion of American workers whose livelihoods are threatened by illegal foreign laborers and the offshoring of U.S. jobs.

trump“I will be the greatest jobs president that God every created," he said in announcing his candidacy on June 16. "I will bring back our jobs from China, Mexico and other places. I will bring back jobs and our money."

Arrogant. Where's the work to back up the words? All the foreign workers take the words right out of Trump's mouth.

Trump generated both notoriety and buzz by singling out Mexican immigrants in the United States. “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best," he said in the speech. "They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists."

Not all Mexicans. Trump was clear about that. He never said that every Mexican is this or that.

In a speech on July 11, Trump distinguished between those working legally and illegally in the United States, saying thousands of "legal" Mexicans - "incredible people" - have worked for him over the years.

Exactly.

Donald Trump: "What H-1B Visas?
(Credit: Gage Skidmore)

The Labor Department records don't specify the nationality of the foreign workers sought by companies. But Trump could be bringing many Mexican workers into the United States.

Reuters examined records of applications for three categories of temporary work visas - the H-2A, H-2B and H-1B programs - submitted by employers to the Labor Department.

A controversial visa program

The temporary work visa program through which Trump's companies have sought the greatest numbers of workers, H-2B, brings in mostly workers from Mexico. Mexicans made up more than 80 percent of the 104,993 admissions to the United States on H-2B visas in 2013. The Trump companies have sought at least 850 H-2B visa workers.

The H-2B program, which receives little government oversight, is used by companies in sectors ranging from hospitality to forestry to hire foreign workers for temporary jobs. Companies must prove that the jobs are seasonal - and that they tried and failed to hire Americans.

U.S. government watchdogs have criticized the H-2B and H-2A programs over the years for failing to protect foreign and American workers alike.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

In 2003, the Labor Department Inspector General said: “Abuses of these programs may result in economic harm to American workers and businesses, exploitation of foreign workers, and security risks associated with aliens who are admitted to this country by fraudulent means.”

City Hall is seen in the distance as construction workers help carry a huge American flag in a march to the Metropolitan Detention Center during one a several May Day immigration-themed events on May 1, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. Demonstrators are calling for immigration reform and an end to deportations of undocumented residents.

This year, the Government Accountability Office published a report saying that workers in the country on H-2A and H-2B visas have experienced abuse, including being charged illegal recruiting fees, substandard housing and low pay.

Wow! Do these charges implicate Donald Trump, too?

The Mar-a-Lago, a luxury resort in Palm Beach, Florida, has sought the most foreign workers of the nine Trump businesses: 787 workers since 2006, according to the data.

This month, the resort filed paperwork seeking to bring in 70 foreign workers later this year on H-2B visas to serve as maids, cooks and wait staff, according to paperwork known as “job orders” published on the Labor Department's web site.

In addition to the resort and the modeling agencies, the Trump-owned companies identified in the Reuters analysis were Jupiter Golf Club, Lamington Farm Club LLC, Trump Miami Resorts Management LLC, Trump National Golf Club LLC, Trump Payroll Chicago LLC and Trump Vineyard Estates LLC.

Final Reflection:

There are two huge (or should I write YUUGE!) problems with Trump's record on immigration and employment.

Either Trump knows about these foreign workers, and believes that no one cares or will pay attention. or he is unaware.

If he knows about it and does not care, then he is fooling lots of voters or not being honest about his intentions for the Presidency.

Border security starts at home. How about getting rid of all those foreign workers and hiring veterans in their place, Donald?

With all this wealth and influence, why does Donald's empire rely on foreign workers?