This Issue: Lawmakers look to increase H-2B visas and lift per-country caps in must-pass spending bill

Several lawmakers are pushing to include bad immigration provisions in the must-pass spending bill, including an increase to H-2B visas and a bill that would lift per-country caps on certain visa categories.

Government funding is set to expire at midnight tonight unless the Senate passes a one-week extension that was approved by the House earlier this week.

Congress is also considering a Covid relief bill before adjourning for the year. Some Democrats are pushing to include a temporary amnesty and stimulus checks for illegal aliens in the bill.

H-2B Visas

Stuffing H-2B visa increases into the government spending bill has become the norm in recent years. The visas provide employers in the landscaping, construction, and service industries with cheap, temporary foreign labor.

Until recently, lawmakers pushed to include a provision that would exempt returning workers from the annual cap of 66,000. But to avoid constituent outrage, Congress has instead used the spending bill to authorize the Department of Homeland Security to increase the number of visas, taking the decision-making out of Congress' hands and placing it with the administration.

The Trump Administration authorized an increase in H-2B visas earlier this year, but rescinded the decision amid the ongoing pandemic.

It's disappointing that some lawmakers in Congress are still pushing to increase H-2B visa numbers despite the fact that millions of American workers have lost work and wages over the last 8 months due to Covid. We've posted a message on your Action Board, urging your Members of Congress not to include an H-2B increase in the spending bill.

Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act

There are also reports this week that Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) is pushing to attach the House-passed version of H.R. 1044 to the spending bill.

The bill would lift per-country caps for certain visa categories, all but guaranteeing that most visas go to tech workers from India and China, allowing tech firms to undercut American tech workers.

Last week, H.R. 1044, as amended by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) passed the Senate with unanimous consent, but Rep. Lofgren has objections to some of Sen. Lee's changes.

Covid Relief

We're also tracking negotiations over a Covid relief bill that Congress is hoping to pass before the end of the session, likely as part of the omnibus.

Earlier this year, the House passed a $2 trillion Covid relief bill that included a temporary amnesty and stimulus checks for illegal aliens. That bill was a nonstarter in the Senate, which has attempted to pass a much smaller Covid relief bill, but has been unable to reach the 60-vote threshold.

Prospects for a bill before the end of the year seem dim, however, as major sticking points remain, and the Senate has yet to even pass a one-week extension of government funding to avoid a shutdown.

Chris Chmielenski NumbersUSA Deputy Director