Top US technology firms, including Amazon, Apple and Facebook, are among a group of businesses challenging a decision by President Trump to introduce visa bans on some foreign workers.

The lawsuit has been filed in California by a number of industry groups, including the National Association of Manufacturers and the US Chamber of Commerce.

Proclamation

In June, Trump issued a proclamation suspending entire categories of some US visas until the end of the year, arguing that the move would “free up” more jobs for Americans hurt by the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The visa types affected included those used by many technology companies to hire workers.

Under US law, the president can suspend the entry of non-citizens for “reasons of foreign affairs and national security”.

‘Fundamental mismatch’

The US companies are arguing, however, that the president’s proclamation is unlawful as it goes beyond the scope of his powers, and there is no evidence that the action is being taken in the interests of the US.

“There is a fundamental mismatch between the problem identified and the action taken,” the businesses say.

They also say that the move will “fundamentally disrupt how companies may hire employees for at least the next six months”, arguing that it will inflict “specific, acute, and irremediable harms” on hundreds of thousands of US businesses.

The business groups argue that US jobs figures indicate that overall demand for high-skilled workers in tech-related occupations still exceeds the domestic supply, despite the pandemic.