Immigration
As the child of immigrants, I recognize that legal immigrants have always been important to America. However, porous borders and inefficient bureaucrats enable undocumented aliens to enter our country illegally and even legal temporary visa holders to overstay their visas. Illegal immigration undermines the American workforce and creates real national security risks for the United States.
Securing our border is the first step to ending illegal immigration into the United States, and can be accomplished through increasing and empowering our border patrol, using advanced technology, and building physical barriers where necessary. Maintaining a secure border also requires better tracking of immigrants' visas to cut down on the number of visa overstays.
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HOOPER'S ISLAND, Md. - Nearly half of Maryland crab houses have no workers after their mostly-Mexican workers failed to get visas, forcing seafood businesses like AE Phillips in Fishing Creek to shut down completely.
It's a tough time for general manager, Morgan Tolley, who says he has to turn away multiple watermen a day.
WASHINGTON, DC: Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. (MD-01), alongside Congressmen Jack Bergman (MI-01), Steve Chabot (OH-01), and William Keating (MA-09), led a bipartisan letter, signed by 89 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, supporting the release of additional H-2B visas in order to meet the needs of small seasonal businesses in Maryland's First Congressional District and across the country. The Fiscal Year 2018 cap of 66,000 H-2B visas was filled on January 1, 2018, leaving many businesses unable to obtain the temporary seasonal labor they need.
Congressman Andy Harris joined WBAL News Now Wednesday morning to discuss President Trump's State of the Union address, saying he thinks Trump has delivered on promises made.
"Its a phenomenal turnaround," Harris said about Trump's first year, citing economic turnaround and strengthened national security. "He had to make the record public."
More than anything else, Harris liked Trump highlighting American heroes.
WASHINGTON, DC: On October 8, the White House released an outline of President Trump's immigration principles and priorities. Congressman Andy Harris (MD-01) issued the following statement in support of the President's agenda:
Editor,
Ocean City's economy depends heavily on summer tourism and seasonal workers. I have always supported efforts to ensure Maryland's businesses can find the employees they need to succeed.
A recent story misstated my position on the J-1 visa program, which allows foreign students to come to America temporarily to work and experience our culture. Since the inability to find American summertime workers has been an ongoing challenge for small businesses in Ocean City, I have consistently supported the J-1 visa program.