On April 18, 2017, President Donald Trump signed an executive
order (EO), "Buy American and Hire American," which
aims to "stimulate economic growth" and "ensure the
integrity of the immigration system." Although this
action provides impetus to federal agencies to propose changes to
the U.S. immigration system, the EO itself does not present an
immediate impact to immigration programs.
Section 5 of the EO, "Ensuring the Integrity of the
Immigration System in Order to 'Hire American',"
instructs the Secretaries of State, Labor, and Homeland Security,
as well as the Attorney General, to "propose new rules and
issue new guidance" but leaves it up to the various agencies
to craft the specific policies and regulations that will be
required to give eventual shape and effect to the EO's more
general call for an overhaul of the current system. Focusing
specifically on the H-1B visa program, the EO instructs these
agencies to suggest reforms "to help ensure that H-1B
