On Thursday, Senator Ron Johnson (WI) introduced a brand-new approach to adding vast numbers of new foreign workers: state sponsored visas.
Under the State Sponsored Visa Pilot Program Act of 2017, states (or compacts of states) would apply for an initial pool of 500,000 “W” temporary guestworker visas for whatever skill-level of workers they want, regardless of their potential impact on American workers. Each state (plus D.C.) would receive 5,000 visas, then an additional 245,000 would be distributed proportionately based on the state’s population. If some states chose not to participate, their unused visas would be given to those that do participate the following year, ensuring that all the visas are handed out. Critically, unlike even the most flawed of existing guestworker programs, this new program establishes no uniform rules to offer even nominal protections for American workers.



















