From the H-2B Workforce Coalition:

Status of H-2B Visas
As you know, the Fiscal 2018 Omnibus Appropriations Law provided the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary Labor, with the authority to release up to an additional 69,320 H-2B visas if she determines "that the needs of American businesses cannot be satisfied in fiscal year 2018 with United States workers who are willing, qualified, and able to perform temporary nonagricultural labor."  

So far, we have not heard anything official from DHS about the release of additional visas.  We have heard rumors and seen press reports that indicate that DHS plans to release 15,000 additional visas around the middle of this month.  

We need your help to encourage DHS to immediately release all of the additional 69,302 visas. Please take the following actions below.

What Can You Do?

• Call your Senators and Representative and ask them to continue to reach out to DHS and DOL and demand that the Departments to immediately resume H-2B processing up to the full number of visas authorized by the FY18 omnibus appropriations law. You can reach your elected officials at through the Capitol switchboard at 202-225-3121 or you can call the toll-free number set up by the National Association of Landscape Professionals at (833) 728-3422.  You will be prompted to enter your zip code will then be automatically connected you to your Senators and Representative.  Please call today, even if you have done so recently.
• Tweet at Homeland Security Secretary Nielsen and Labor Secretary Acosta about the need for immediate cap relief using #SaveH2B.  Their addresses are @SecretaryAcosta, @USDOL,@SecNielsen, @DHSgovAND your Senators and Representative. You can find their twitter addresses at https://twitter.com/cspan/lists/members-of-congress/members?lang=en. Some sample tweets are below or create your own that talks about the impact of the cap on your business and your American workforce.
• Record a short one-minute video that includes the name and location of your business and the consequences to your business and your domestic workforce if you do not get H-2B workers soon.  This can be a simple statement recorded on a cell phone while sitting in your office or out in the field, or you could ask your U.S. workers to record a short video.  Send them to Laurie Flanagan at [email protected] she will post the videos on H-2B Workforce Coalition Facebook page. You can also tweet this at your DHS, DOL and your elected officials using @saveH2B.
• Send a Letter to the Editor or Op-Ed to your local newspapers. We created a template that you can edit and personalize. Try to make the op-ed relevant to the local economy and keep it to about 750 words.

Sample Tweets

• @SecretaryAcosta@USDOL@SecNielsen@DHSgov#SaveH2B and save the spring and summer. DHS please release H-2B visas and resume H-2B processing now.
• @SecretaryAcosta@USDOL@SecNielsen@DHSgov#SaveH2B and save American jobs. Every H-2B worker creates and sustains 4.64 American jobs. DHS please release H-2B visas and resume H-2B processing now.
• @SecretaryAcosta@USDOL@SecNielsen@DHSgov#SaveH2B and save American seasonal businesses. DHS please H-2B visas and resume H-2B visas processing now.
• @SecretaryAcosta@USDOL@SecNielsen@DHSgovAs of 4/20 DOL certified over 87,000 H-2B positions for the spring and summer. DHS release H-2B visas and resume processing visas now. #SaveH2B and save American jobs.
• Or tweet a short one-minute video at Secretaries Nielsen and Acosta and your Senators and Representative.

You may also share this summary of current H-2B statistics with your lawmakers.