Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), after hearing concerns from Delaware constituents that the Trump administration's immigration policies were threatening the J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program, secured the inclusion of an amendment to protect the program from modifications in the Fiscal Year 2018 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill that passed the Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously on September 7.
Nearly 300,000 international visitors come to America through the J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program every year. They participate in research and training programs, work as camp counselors and au pairs, and spend summers working in seasonal and temporary jobs. Delaware welcomed more than 2,000 visitors as part of the program in 2016.
“The Visitor Exchange Program builds people-to-people connections and drives economic growth in Delaware by placing international visitors in temporary work and study positions that are critical to Delaware businesses,” said Senator Coons. “As a member of both the Senate Foreign Relations and Appropriations Committees, I will continue to fight for this program.”
Many of Delaware’s favorite tourist locations at the beach have come to rely on the Exchange Visitor Program to help them with their summer staffing challenges.
“Our members report that they cannot find enough workers,” said Carol Everhart, President and CEO of the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce. “There are simply more seasonal jobs than can be filled. The loss of J-1 students would only add to the labor shortage, forcing businesses to reduce hours of operation, or even close doors, which would not be good for the businesses or for the visiting tourists.”
This amendment makes it clear that there is bipartisan support for the Exchange Visitor Program in the Senate. The full Congress will consider the bill before December as it continues with the Fiscal Year 2018 budget cycle.