A federal judge temporarily blocked President Trump’s executive order suspending new visas for foreign workers Oct. 1. Judge Jeffrey White of U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California ruled narrowly against the order in a 25-page decision.
The ruling allows the members of the organizations that sued the Trump administration to resume hiring employees from outside the U.S., saying that the president overstepped his authority in the June executive order that blocked multiple types of new work visas, including H-1B and some H-2B seasonal employees.
The organizations bringing the suit include the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers, National Retail Federation, TechNet and Intrax Inc. Some members of those groups include Microsoft, Amazon, Goodyear Tire and Exxon Mobil, as well as hundreds of thousands of others across multiple business sectors.
“This ruling is a great first step,” says John Farner, industry development director for the Irrigation Association, Fairfax, Virginia. “We’re excited about working toward a more long-term solution that acknowledges the importance of seasonal workers to our industries.”
The executive order is effective until Dec. 31.
