Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump is running on a message of bringing jobs back to the U.S., but since 2000, Trump's companies have sought to import at least 1,100 foreign workers on temporary work visas. Just this month, his Mar-a-Lago Club resort in Florida applied to import 70 foreign workers to serve as cleaners, cooks and wait staff, according to a Reuters review of Labor Department data.
While Trump hasn't talked extensively on how he plans to keep jobs in the U.S. or bring back jobs already overseas, it has become a major selling point for his campaign, as he has presented himself as a champion of American workers at risk of losing their jobs to illegal foreign laborers or offshoring.
"I will be the greatest jobs president that God has ever created," he said during his presidential announcement on June 16, Time reported. "I will bring back our jobs from China, Mexico and other places. I will bring back jobs and our money."
In all, nine companies majority-owned by Trump have sought to hire foreign laborers, managers, cooks, wait staffers and vineyard workers through temporary H-2A, H-2B and H-1B work-visa programs administered by the Department of Labor, according to Reuters.
Records showed that two of those companies, Trump Management Group LLC and Trump Model Management, have attempted to obtain visas for some 250 foreign fashion models.
The other companies were Jupiter Golf Club, Lamington Farm Club LLC, Trump Miami Resorts Management LLC, Trump National Golf Club LLC, Trump Payroll Chicago LLC and Trump Vineyard Estates LLC.
During Trump's presidential kickoff event, the Republican front-runner made controversial remarks about illegal Mexican immigrants trying to come into the U.S.
"When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best," he said in the speech, Time reported. "They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists."
Those comments led to pushback from Latino groups, and some businesses even cut ties with Trump. He later drew a distinction between illegal and legal immigrants, calling the thousands of Mexican immigrants that work for his companies "incredible people," according to The Hill.
The Labor Department documents examined by Reuters don't specify the nationality of the foreign workers sought, but most of Trump's worker requests were made through the H-2B program, which brings in mostly Mexican workers. In 2013, Mexicans made up more than 80 percent of the 104,993 H-2B visa admissions. Trump's companies have sought at least 850 H-2B visa workers.
The H-2B program requires companies to prove that the jobs are seasonal and that they already tried and failed to hire Americans, however, it lacks government oversight.
In 2003, the Labor Department inspector general said abuses of the programs could economically harm American workers and businesses, result in the exploitation of foreign workers, and cause security risks resulting from aliens who are admitted to the U.S. by fraudulent means.
The Government Accountability Office published a report in March which found that more than 250,000 foreign workers came to the U.S. through H-2B and H-2A programs between 2009 and 2013, some of who experienced abuse, such as being charged illegal recruiting fees, low pay and substandard housing.
