While President-elect Donald Trump was campaigning on job creation and "America First" policies in 2024, many of his businesses were hiring "more foreign workers than ever," according to government labor data reviews conducted by CNN and Forbes.
Record-Number Foreign Workers in 2024
In 2024, Trump's businesses–including his Mar-a-Lago Club and Virginia winery–collectively received approval from the U.S. government to hire 209 foreign workers, mostly through the H-2B visa program, CNN reported.
Meanwhile, Forbes similarly exposed a "record year for the Trump organization," revealing it "sought to hire 178 short-term foreign workers in 2024." The business news outlet reported that up to 132 foreign workers will be on his businesses' payrolls as he takes the oath of office in January, despite his campaign promises to create more American jobs.
A History of Hiring Foreign Workers
Both outlets point out that Trump's businesses have historically depended on migrant workers to serve as cooks, servers, desk clerks, and more. Most jobs pay between $14.17 and $23.01 an hour and workers are reportedly offered overtime, bonuses, tips, and other benefits.
"Over the past 17 years, Trump's businesses have applied to employ at least 1,849 temporary foreign workers, including 382 during his first term in office."
- Zach Everson, Forbes
Americans Won't Take the Jobs
In the past, Trump has alleged "it's impossible to get help" because Americans won't take the jobs his properties give to foreign guest workers. "And part of the reason you can't get American people is they want full time jobs," he said. Former staff members, speaking to CNN anonymously, claimed that Trump's businesses favor hiring "young" and "attractive" foreign workers from Eastern Europe and South Africa.
H-2B Workers: An Increasing Demand
The H-2B visa program allows U.S. employers to bring workers from other countries to perform temporary non-agricultural jobs for up to one year. According to the U.S Department of Labor, employers applying to receive H-2B workers must demonstrate a temporary need for labor and prove their efforts to recruit U.S. workers.
The annual cap for H-2B visas is set at 66,000, but in early December the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service temporarily increased the cap "by up to 64,716 additional visas for all of fiscal year 2025," citing "urgent labor needs."
Deportation Plans and Labor Force
According to the political think tank Niskanen Center, the number of employers requesting H-2B visa workers has more than doubled–growing at nearly 10% per year on average, indicating a growing demand for cost-effective labor, which could be further strained by Trump's promised deportation plans.
Trump rose to victory after campaigning for a stronger economy and the largest deportation in U.S. history, targeting around 11 million undocumented immigrants. Undocumented immigrants make up a significant portion of the workforce in sectors like agriculture, hospitality, and construction, often filling arduous, low-paying jobs in these industries.
Trump Ally Hires High-Skilled Foreign Nationals
While many business owners and political observers have expressed concerns about the impact of mass deportations on an already strained workforce, Trump and his top political ally Elon Musk continue to advocate for strict immigration policies, even as they increasingly rely on foreign labor. According to CNN, Musk has sought visas for 2,000 highly skilled foreign workers for his companies Neuralink and X Corp.
Project 2025 Aims to Decrease H-2B Visas
In parallel, top conservatives and contributors to Project 2025–a conservative policy guidebook authored by some of Trump's cabinet picks–have suggested to further cap and gradually phase down foreign worker visa programs, including H-2B. Critics argue that the foreign worker program discourages large companies from offering higher wages and better benefits to U.S. workers who could fill those same roles.
The Latin Times reached out to the Trump transition team but requests for comment were not returned by the time of publication.
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