--- title: "Associations Speak Out After Trump Eyes Rollback of “Startup Visa” Rule" id: "38673" type: "post" slug: "associations-speak-out-after-trump-eyes-rollback-of-startup-visa-rule" published_at: "2017-06-23T22:28:10+00:00" modified_at: "2026-11-09T16:18:09+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2017/06/23/associations-speak-out-after-trump-eyes-rollback-of-startup-visa-rule/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2017/06/23/associations-speak-out-after-trump-eyes-rollback-of-startup-visa-rule.md" excerpt: "The International Entrepreneur Rule, a rule put into place by the Obama administration, was to take effect next month, but the Trump administration has delayed implementation, with an interest in rolling it back entirely. Venture capital groups say that stopping..." taxonomy_category: - "Advocacy" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "Business" - "EU policy" - "Immigration Policy" - "startups" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "C-Level" - "Executive Team" - "For-Profit CEO / President / Owner / Partner" taxonomy_persona: - "Executive Leadership" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Associations Speak Out After Trump Eyes Rollback of “Startup Visa” Rule One of the last immigration-related acts of Barack Obama’s administration made things a little easier for immigrants entering the U.S. to start a company. Currently, no simple path exists for a visa of this nature. While the International Entrepreneur Rule, a “startup visa”-style rule approved by the Department of Homeland Security mere hours before Obama left office, is supposed to take effect next month, this week President Donald Trump’s administration is reportedly putting the brakes on its implementation, [according to a San Francisco Chronicle report (opens in a new tab)](http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Silicon-Valley-executives-press-Trump-on-11240739.php) . The Trump administration, which has taken a hard-line stance on immigration issues—whether involving high-skilled workers or not—decided to delay the rule until March, allowing time for a review and eventual repeal. The reported decision comes months after the Trump administration [pledged to tighten up rules around the H-1B visa program](http://associationsnow.com/2017/04/groups-respond-trump-administration-tightens-visa-program/) —and despite broad support for the rule from the technology community. (The *Chronicle* report was notable because it came the same week that Trump [met with many of Silicon Valley’s most prominent leaders (opens in a new tab)](https://www.recode.net/2017/6/20/15843138/watch-video-silicon-valley-ceos-donald-trump-tech-week-jared-kushner) .) Back in May, entrepreneurs and tech groups representing 25 states wrote a letter to Trump expressing support for the rule. “We believe this rule will unleash considerable pent-up entrepreneurial energy, spur new companies, and produce high-quality jobs in communities all across the United States,” [the signatories stated (opens in a new tab)](http://nvca.org/?ddownload=21968) [PDF]. The National Venture Capital Association, which worked with the Obama administration on the rule, is particularly raising its voice on the issue. [In an op-ed for TechCrunch (opens in a new tab)](https://techcrunch.com/2017/06/19/ensuring-foreign-born-founders-can-grow-their-startups-in-the-u-s/) , NVCA president and CEO, Bobby Franklin, pointed out roughly a third of startups backed by venture capital have immigrant founders. Furthermore, more than half of all “unicorns,” privately held companies that are valued above $1 billion, were started by immigrants. But despite that track record, Franklin expressed concern with the fact that the Trump administration was going the other way on the issue. “Immigrant entrepreneurs have enhanced our economy and culture despite immigration law, rather than because of it—that has to change if we are going to grow our economy as President Trump hopes,” Franklin wrote. While the rule is drawing its share of skepticism, it has supporters on both sides of the aisle. In a letter to the Department of Homeland Security, GOP senators Jerry Moran, Orrin Hatch, Jeff Flake, and John McCain expressed support for the International Entrepreneur Rule as written. “There is little benefit to losing any ground in attracting entrepreneurs and their investments,” the senators’ letter stated, according to *The Chronicle*. “[The rule] will help the United States remain globally competitive with other countries that are implementing immigration policies to attract entrepreneurs, such as Canada and France.” (iStock/Thinkstock) [Ernie Smith](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Ernie Smith is a former senior editor for Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Tags: [#Business](https://associationsnow.com/tag/business/) [#EU policy](https://associationsnow.com/tag/eu-policy/) [#Immigration Policy](https://associationsnow.com/tag/immigration-policy/) [#startups](https://associationsnow.com/tag/startups/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoASAE’s Legislative Fly-InJanuary 31, 2024](https://associationsnow.com/2024/01/31/asaes-legislative-fly-in/) - [VideoThe Power of Associations is the Power of AmericaFebruary 26, 2021](https://associationsnow.com/2021/02/26/the-power-of-associations-is-the-power-of-america/) - [VideoThe Career Moves Every Association Leader Needs Right NowSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/the-career-moves-every-association-leader-needs-right-now/) - [VideoUrban Land Institute- Project Recovery: Rebuilding Los Angeles After the January 2025 WildfiresSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/urban-land-institute-project-recovery-rebuilding-los-angeles-after-the-january-2025-wildfires/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2017%2F06%2F23%2Fassociations-speak-out-after-trump-eyes-rollback-of-startup-visa-rule%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !