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U.S. State Department pauses immigrant visa applications

wsj.com

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Re: U.S. State Department pauses immigrant visa applications

#431

Post by consensus1 »

kashunstva wrote: post #195
erkt wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Inhumane maybe, but our government should owe its first allegiance to our citizens wellbeing, not imported workers.

Surely you would admit that this Administration’s approach to immigration has been both chaotic and cruel. The workers who were given status in the United States expected a predictable process, not one that changes weekly based on the unserious personal whims of a bored, ill-informed and vindictive man. In any case, the prioritization of citizens’ wellbeing writ large is demonstrably _not_ a feature of this Administr…

The entire point of a temporary visa is that the host country can refuse to renew and force you to leave the country at their whim. When you apply for such a visa you accept those terms.

Re: U.S. State Department pauses immigrant visa applications

#432

Post by doom2 »

nekusar wrote: post #291

Well, for starters, good. We all know this whole H1-B situation was to cripple wages and to get an indentured workforce. Glad its being "paused". Would love to it being modified to not being tied to a company, or gottennrid of for good. Sorry about the people who were using it, but also not sorry. Maybe we Americans can get some of those jobs the companies were scamming the govt with.

> we Americans

We can also take a more critical look at the definition of what being American is. The 20th century, especially pre-1920, was rife with illegal immigration. Why should the descendants of those who skipped the line, who didn't come in "the right way", be able to now call themselves American and reap the unearned benefits of citizenship? They've taken and continue to take jobs from Americans who need them.

Re: U.S. State Department pauses immigrant visa applications

#433

Post by dyauspitr »

sinecure wrote: post #97
dzonga wrote: post #19

the current admin are working hard to destroy the U.S as if they're foreign agents. not only are they making it hard & unbearable for families of US citizens & PR holders to be together. while at the same time - discouraging talent to come to the US at a crucial time when talent is at a premium due to A.I development. last the backwards energy policy of banning renewable energy.

This was never about talent. It's about companies hiring foreigners on h1b visas at below market wages where their life in the USA is contingent on their job performance forcing them to work harder and longer than their peers to remain in the country. It's a situation that only benefits companies, while harming US citizens who have to compete with the lower wages of foreigners.

As a hiring manager no one tells you who is an immigrant and who isn’t when you interview them.

Re: U.S. State Department pauses immigrant visa applications

#434

Post by rayiner »

wasabi991011 wrote: post #418
rayiner wrote: post #400

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s not “cruelty” to have and enforce rules. The words “temporary” and “nonimmigrant” is plastered all over the laws that govern these visas. People shouldn’t have treated them as permanent immigration visas. And employers shouldn’t have mislead employees into thinking these were permanent immigration visas. It’s like saying that it’s “cruelty” to remove someone who uses a 2 hour parking spot as their permanent car…

This entire article is about immigrant visas.

No it’s about B-1 and B-2 visas:

> The State Department and Department of Homeland Security are reviewing all B-1 business and B-2 tourist visas, he said.

https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary... (“B-1 Temporary Business Visitor”)

Re: U.S. State Department pauses immigrant visa applications

#435

Post by conductr »

tptacek wrote: post #406
conductr wrote: post #223

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not trying to make a political point at all and perhaps a controversial take. But, it’s specifically and maybe implicitly by design. Meaning they made this way precisely so you have to reapply so they can change their mind or block you out later. Nothing about getting a visa is permanent and you’re fully at risk when you move here with that type of status. If you evaluate the situation that’s always been the case.

Lots of countries have temporary worker status. The requirement to leave the country to re-up it appears to be a distinctively American thing.

But my point is it’s a known factor up front, and it’s so they can (have the option of) getting you to leave without allowing you back in. The thinking is that if people had visas that expires or revoked, they just wouldn’t leave and enforcement would be difficult (we have a forceful ICE now, but not always). Having them leave first is by design even if unique.

Re: U.S. State Department pauses immigrant visa applications

#436

Post by s1artibartfast »

tptacek wrote: post #406
conductr wrote: post #223

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not trying to make a political point at all and perhaps a controversial take. But, it’s specifically and maybe implicitly by design. Meaning they made this way precisely so you have to reapply so they can change their mind or block you out later. Nothing about getting a visa is permanent and you’re fully at risk when you move here with that type of status. If you evaluate the situation that’s always been the case.

Lots of countries have temporary worker status. The requirement to leave the country to re-up it appears to be a distinctively American thing.

Is extremely common in europe and asia

Re: U.S. State Department pauses immigrant visa applications

#437

Post by [deleted] »

sjtgraham wrote: post #264
HeavenFox wrote: post #220

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are talking about change (or extension) of status, not visa. US is unique in that the visa sticker and your right to remain in the country (status) are two different things. The only purpose of the visa sticker is to allow you to travel to a U.S. port of entry, where you apply for admission, and therefore legal status. You can have legal status in the U.S. while the visa sticker has expired, and your status can b…

There actually is a pilot to renew h1-b visa foils while in the US without a consular appointment.

[deleted]

Re: U.S. State Department pauses immigrant visa applications

#438

Post by rayiner »

macintux wrote: post #322
nostrademons wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The first time it happened (2023) it was a non-issue; he did exactly as you said, appointment happened as planned, and then he was back on his scheduled plane trip a week later. Everything post-2025 has been a shit-show. There's no predictability or clear guidance, either from our lawyers or from the state department. Predictability matters a lot in business. If you know what the procedure is and how long it will tak…

Predictability flew out the window with the last election. I simply do not understand how any business leaders supported this, but I suppose the ability to bribe their way out of chaos was appealing.

[flagged]

Re: U.S. State Department pauses immigrant visa applications

#439

Post by stackskipton »

epistasis wrote: post #257
unselect5917 wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Conflating not wanting to compete with foreigners for jobs in your own country with racism is bad faith bullshit. Foreigners of the exact same race are equally unwanted competition.

Even taking you at your word, immigrants also create far more jobs. The economy is not some zero sum thing, with some fixed amount of jobs and fixed amount of work and fixed amount of wealth to be split. Every economic analysis I have ever seen shows that there's economic surplus from immigrants entering a local economy; more jobs and more wealth is created, per person, than if those people had not come. In particula…

>In particular I'm thinking of some studies of local economy in Miami when there have been bursts of immigration.

That was study about Cuban immigrants into Miami, a city with large Cuban population and thus existing infrastructure to absorb. I wouldn't draw that study into anything broader.

As someone in Local Politics, the issue generally is, immigration, esp of unskilled kind decimates local budgets since they are generally directly tied to number of people. Here is CBO report on it. https://www.cbo.gov/publication/61464

Now, type of immigration that mostly impacts this study is not type of immigration that is impacted by visa application processing halting but acting like "Yea, this current system is working GREAT!" is false. This is what so annoying about this issue, it's in clear need of change but Congress refuses to do it and Trump doesn't have leadership to get it done.

Re: U.S. State Department pauses immigrant visa applications

#440

Post by testbjjl »

hvb2 wrote: post #15

So for those that don't know, it's quite common for a visa renewal to be required to leave the country. Depending on the visa, you might have to do this every year. So just imagine, having a normal job in the US and you're asked to leave to renew your visa and this stuff happens. That's no more appointment, not even a new date and you're now very likely unable to work and possibly can't even enter the country to get…

I think there are a lot of inhumane things happening around the world right now to label this inconvenient, at best. We need better leadership through higher voter participation and an informed electorate to stop these inhumane and inconvenient policies.
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