Proclamation 10973—Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers
Issued 2025-09-19 by Donald J. Trump
Plain-English Overview
AI-generated summary explaining what this action does, who it affects, and why it matters
This proclamation restricts how certain nonimmigrant workers, specifically those entering the United States on the H-1B visa program, can come to America. The President believes that this program has been abused by some companies to replace American workers with cheaper foreign labor, particularly in fields like computer science and technology. The proclamation is based on the idea that this abuse has harmed American workers’ wages and job opportunities, especially for college graduates in these fields.
The action primarily affects companies that rely heavily on the H-1B visa program, particularly those in the IT industry. The proclamation aims to limit the ability of these companies to use the program to artificially lower labor costs and displace American workers. It highlights that some companies are closing their domestic IT divisions, laying off American employees, and then hiring foreign workers through the H-1B program to save money.
Because of these concerns, the proclamation is intended to address challenges in the labor market for American workers and prevent further harm to the wages and employment opportunities of U.S. citizens in critical STEM fields.
AI-generated summary for educational purposes
Constitutional Analysis
How this action fits (or doesn't) within Article II authority and existing law
This proclamation ("Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers") restricts or modifies entry into the United States. The stated basis: "address the abuse of that program while still permitting companies to hire the best of the best temporary foreign workers." Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act grants the President authority to suspend entry of aliens whose presence would be "detrimental to the interests of the United States." The Supreme Court upheld this broad authority in Trump v. Hawaii (2018).
While the statutory authority is expansive, courts scrutinize immigration proclamations for discrimination, rational basis, and fidelity to the underlying statute. The constitutional question often turns on whether the proclamation is implementing existing immigration law (acceptable) or effectively creating new categories and policies Congress did not authorize (potentially overreaching).
Official Summary
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