Warner, Kaine say stay on H2B visa freeze will help seafood industry

Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine say Virginia seafood businesses got a break with a request filed by federal agencies for a court decision to hold off enforcing a ruling stopping  officials from processing visas for seasonal workers.

The unopposed request by the Departments of Labor and Homeland Security would allow immigration officials to keep processing those visa applications through April 15. The labor and homeland security departments asked the court to stay its ruling after a bipartisan group of 14 senators, including the two Virginians, asked the agencies immediately resume accepting and processing H-2B visa applications.

“These workers are essential for Virginia’s seafood businesses, which are about to start peak harvesting season,” Warner said. ““Businesses that depend on this visa program deserve clear and reasonable rules of the road.”

He said he would keep pushing for better administration of the visa program.

“I met with representatives from Virginia seafood companies in Washington today to discuss this situation,” said Kaine. “However, companies need more specifics in order to plan ahead.

He said he would keep monitoring this situation in the coming days and wants t work on a long-term solution to avoid the uncertainty about the program created by these court rulings.

Warner and Kaine were joined by Senators Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn.; Richard Burr, R-N.C.; Ben Cardin, D-Md.; Bill Cassidy, R-La.; Thad Cochran, R-Miss.; Susan Collins, R-Maine; Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D.; Johnny Isakson, R-Ga.; Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska:, David Vitter, R-La. and Roger Wicker, R-Miss.

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