We strongly oppose the Trump administration’s proclamation issued Friday evening, which bars the re-entry of certain non-immigrant workers on H-1B visas and imposes a new fee of $100,000 for applicants. These sweeping changes will fundamentally reshape the H-1B program and have a profound impact on H-1B workers, including many at Google.

We are outraged by the administration’s decision to provide less than 48 hours’ notice before these restrictions take effect. This reckless rollout has created unnecessary fear and chaos: within hours, many workers were making every effort to return to the United States, only to see news from the White House just hours before the deadline that the guidance might not apply to them. Forcing people into such impossible circumstances, with the threat of job loss or family separation hanging over them, is unacceptable.

This proclamation must be recognized for what it is: a hasty and divisive attack that pits foreign-born and U.S.-born workers against each other at a moment when layoffs and threats to job security affect everyone. H-1B workers are in an especially vulnerable position, and we call on Google to act swiftly to protect its employees, ensure they can return home, advocate for those who cannot, and provide clarity and stability to all affected workers.