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DHS Proposes to Cancel International Entrepreneur Rule

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a statement on Friday that it has proposed to eliminate the International Entrepreneur Rule, which authorizes certain categories of foreigners to stay in the United States on parole in order to open and grow new businesses.
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"The Department of Homeland Security is proposing a rule to end a program that allows certain foreign entrepreneurs to be considered for parole to temporarily come to the United States to develop and build start-up businesses here," the statement said on Friday.

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The rule was instituted by the former President Barack Obama as part of the US commitment to welcome immigrants who demonstrate potential for business developments.

The DHS claims the rule should be canceled because it is broad in nature and foreign entrepreneurs compete with US companies and workers and disadvantage national businesses because of the lack of sufficient protections.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump has pledged to toughen immigration laws and stop the flow of foreign worker into the United States.

While Trump has frequently spoken about the challenges low skilled workers pose the economy, he decided in July to delay the start of a regulation that would make the process for foreign entrepreneurs to obtain US visas.

DHS Releases 15,000 Additional H-2B Visas

Meanwhile, US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen approved the release of 15,000 more worker visas for this year in order to help American businesses, DHS said in a press release.

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"Nielsen announced that an additional 15,000 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas will be available for Fiscal Year 2018," the release said on Friday.

Nielsen determined that the United States lacked sufficient qualified workers in these areas to satisfy the needs of US companies, the release said.

The DHS chief called on Congress to reform the visa program which unintentionally harms American businesses.

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