Labor and tourism will be hit by a pause in visa appointments and other moves, they said.
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Several Trump administration initiatives unveiled this week to restrict legal immigration — including a worldwide immigrant visa appointment pause and the cancellation of tourism and business visas — will harm the economy and workforce, experts say.
“It is a further constraint on the supply of labor and some tourism,” said Diane Swonk, chief economist at KPMG.
Cecilia Esterline, an immigration policy analyst at the Niskanen Center, a moderate think tank in Washington, said the worldwide pause on visa appointments “could have serious implications” for the economy even if it lasts only a short period.
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Visas allotted for 2026 could go unused when the fiscal year ends Sept. 30, risking population decline, Esterline said, because immigration is the main source of U.S. population growth.
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