65K temporary work visas made available by DHS
- Migrants arriving in the US have struggled to work without documentation
- The visas do not apply to agricultural work
- Congress already makes 66,000 H-2B visas available each year
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WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Friday that it expects to make nearly 65,000 temporary, nonagricultural visas available to migrants in 2024.
The visa expansion comes as major cities across the U.S. struggle to house migrants sent from southern border states, and migrants struggle to find work without the necessary documentation.
The H-2B visas will allow recipients to work in hospitality, tourism, landscaping, seafood processing and more. The visas do not apply to broader agricultural work.
“By announcing plans to make these supplemental visas available at the outset of FY 2024, the Departments will ensure U.S. businesses with workforce needs are able to plan ahead and find the seasonal and other temporary workers they need,” DHS said in a news release.
Migrants sent by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to New York City, Chicago and Washington, D.C. have struggled to find work without documentation and with no comprehensive immigration reform from Congress, most of them are stuck in a legal limbo.
The 60,000 temporary work visas announced Friday are in addition to the congressionally mandated 66,000 H-2B visas that are made available each year.