Bid to Expand Temporary Work Visas in Spending Bill Falls Short

Efforts to boost the availability of temporary visas for foreign workers have come up short in the House.

The DHS funding bill ultimately approved by House lawmakers Thursday night on a 220-208 margin stripped out provisions to increase access to workers on H-2A and H-2B visas, maintaining the status quo for both programs.

Lawmakers had sought to use a Department of Homeland Security funding bill to give seasonal employers the ability to hire returning workers on H-2B visas in industries like hospitality, landscaping, and seafood processing without having them count against an annual cap.

The spending bill approved by the ...