WASHINGTON, DC – FWD.us President Todd Schulte issued the following statement on the delay of the H-4 rescission rule:

“We are encouraged by the news that, for now, over 100,000 people can continue working, providing for their families, and contributing to their communities. The H-4 rule is common sense: it lets the spouses of highly-skilled immigrants work once they have begun their wait for legal permanent residence. There is no evidence to show that the H-4 rule harms American workers in any way, and this latest delay shows that this Administration cannot make a case that does not exist. A federal judge dismissed this argument two years ago, that argument fails again today, and no new study or delay for more time will make it so. In fact, DHS considered economic impact when they issued the rule in the first place, and argued there would be minimal impact to the labor market. The calls of economic calamity are all smoke and no fire – or evidence, or fact-based.

“Many spouses of high-skilled workers are stuck waiting over a decade for work authorization, even after being approved for a green card, because of bureaucratic backlogs. Allowing spouses of highly-skilled workers who already have approved green card petitions to begin working is good for our workforce and for the well-being of future American residents and citizens. The Administration should take action immediately to keep this rule in place, and should begin working with Congress to pass legislation like H.R. 392, the ‘Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act,’ to address the decades-long green card backlog.”