Against Trump’s wishes, Mexican professionals keep visas in new trade deal

WASHINGTON – Tens of thousands of Mexican professionals who come to work in the United States will be able to keep their visas as part of the new U.s.-mexico trade agreement, the Mexican government says, delivering a political loss to the Trump administration, which sought to slash the number of visas as part of NAFTA re-negotiations.

The Mexican Economy Ministry told Mcclatchy that the newly announced trade deal does not make any changes to the number of eligible highskilled professionals who each year receive Treaty NAFTA, or TN, visas as part of the original 1994 trade deal.

“The language about TN visas remains as in the original agreement,” an official with the Mexican economic ministry said.

The Trump administration wanted to cut the number of visas as part of the “Buy American, Hire American” initiative promised during the 2016 campaign.

The status of the controversial visa program has been shrouded in mystery as actual details of the bilateral agreement Trump lauded this week, calling it the U.s.-mexico trade deal, have been scarce.

Administration fact sheets about the trade deal don’t mention any visas. No text of the proposed agreement has been released.

When asked if the number of TN visas was changing or if the TN visas are even part of the new agreement, a senior administration official simply said “No” without elaborating.

The White House and U.S. Trade Representative’s office haven’t answered repeated follow-up questions.

Supporters were surprised that the administration was not more forthcoming.

“It’s unsettling because if no one actually knows in the key agencies, then you have to wonder who is making the decision and why,” said Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, which supports limiting the number of TN visas. “That’s one of the problems with the way these trade agreements are always done; there is too much secrecy, and that makes everyone justifiably nervous.”

Trump announced the deal in front of reporters Monday with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto dialed in on a conference call. It remains unclear whether Canada, the third country in NAFTA, would agree to the changes.

Describing the preliminary agreement as a good day for their country, Mexican officials told Mcclatchy “there were no changes with the U.S.” as it regards to the TN visas.

The administration wanted to limit the number of eligible professions in the TN visa program and decrease the number of visa renewals even though Congress passed a bill in 2016 barring any administration from trying to change the number of visas granted to a country as part of trade negotiations.