Trump Allies Pushed President to Expand Guest Worker Visas

Hospitality industry executives lobbied Trump to increase H-2B visa program during peak tourism season

Apr. 16, 2026 at 7:09am

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A solitary businessman in a suit standing alone in the warm, shadowy lobby of a high-end resort, conveying a sense of quiet contemplation and the political tensions surrounding the guest worker visa program.Lobbying efforts by Trump allies to expand guest worker visas expose the tensions within the Republican party over immigration policy.West Palm Beach Today

A group of President Donald Trump's business associates, including the manager of his Mar-a-Lago resort and a member of the club, pressed the president in January to boost the allocation of seasonal guest worker visas, known as H-2B visas. This conversation took place after the administration had declared its intention to reduce the number of H-2B visas, but the White House later reversed its position and released the full number of visas permitted by law.

Why it matters

The H-2B visa program is widely utilized by industries like landscaping, fishing, and tourism that rely on temporary foreign workers during peak seasons when they cannot find enough American workers. This issue has been a recurring point of conflict between Trump's anti-immigration supporters and Republicans with stronger business ties.

The details

Bernd Lembcke, the retired manager of Mar-a-Lago, and Peter Petrina, a longtime member of the club, met with Trump at his Florida golf club in January to request more H-2B visas for the hospitality industry ahead of the peak winter and spring tourism season. Adrian Tudor, who manages the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, helped arrange the meeting. After the administration had planned to reduce H-2B visas, it later reversed its position and released the full number of visas permitted by law, which is around 65,000.

  • In late 2025, the administration declared its intention to reduce H-2B visas to roughly 30,000 below the previous year's level of 65,000.
  • In January 2026, Lembcke, Petrina, and Tudor met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago to request more H-2B visas for the hospitality industry.
  • Just weeks after the January meeting, the administration reversed its position and released the full number of H-2B visas permitted by law.

The players

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States, whose business enterprises have relied on the H-2B visa program to employ temporary foreign workers at properties throughout the country, including Mar-a-Lago.

Bernd Lembcke

The retired manager of Mar-a-Lago who met with Trump in January to request more H-2B visas for the hospitality industry.

Peter Petrina

A longtime member of Mar-a-Lago who met with Trump in January to request more H-2B visas, and who also serves as the head of the Seasonal Employment Alliance, which works to secure the highest possible number of H-2B visas each year.

Adrian Tudor

The manager of the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach who helped arrange the January meeting between Trump and the business associates requesting more H-2B visas.

Rep. Andy Harris

A Republican congressman from Maryland whose district is deeply dependent on H-2B visas for seasonal crab harvesting, and who was one of the congressional allies lobbying for the visa expansion.

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What they’re saying

“I think they convinced the president that this was worthwhile, and that, in fact, going up to the amount that had been issued in the past years, which brought up to about 65,000 additional visas, was the right thing to do.”

— Rep. Andy Harris, U.S. Representative

“The Trump Administration's number one priority is protecting American jobs and wages, while adequately responding to the demands of President Trump's rapidly growing economy.”

— Taylor Rogers, White House Spokesperson

What’s next

The White House's decision to expand the H-2B visa program is likely to face continued scrutiny and debate, as the issue remains a point of contention between Trump's anti-immigration supporters and Republicans with stronger business ties.

The takeaway

This story highlights the ongoing tensions within the Republican party over the H-2B guest worker visa program, as business-friendly factions push for expansion while immigration hardliners oppose it. The Trump administration's reversal on the visa cap demonstrates the influence of industry lobbying, even on a president known for his restrictive immigration policies.