ReportWire

Tag: lottery system

  • Florida’s first black bear hunt in nearly a decade ends amid ongoing controversy

    Florida’s first black bear hunt since 2015 ended Saturday, closing a three-week season that drew sharp criticism from animal advocacy groups despite assurances from state wildlife officials that the population can sustain limited hunting.The hunt began Dec. 6 and concluded Dec. 28. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials say the hunt was carefully regulated and based on years of conservation and population data.A total of 172 permits were issued through a lottery system. Each permit allowed the harvest of one black bear, setting the maximum number of bears that could be taken during the season, according to FWC.“The Florida black bear population can sustain a hunt,” said Paul Scharnine of the FWC.But opponents argue the hunt could have long-term consequences for the state’s bear population.“This could have long-term detrimental effects on Florida black bears,” said Katrina Shadix, executive director of Bear Warriors United.Shadix said her organization worked throughout the season to stop or limit the hunt. She said dozens of bear advocates applied for permits through the lottery, with more than 40 receiving tags.Bear Warriors United also offered hunters $2,000 in exchange for their permits, an effort aimed at preventing bears from being killed. Shadix said at least 37 people inquired about the proposal.“I had to ask all of the hunters why they weren’t going to kill a bear,” Shadix said. “One simply wanted Christmas presents for his family.”As the season ends, advocacy groups say the fight is not over. Shadix said her organization plans to push for more data on bear populations and prevent another hunt from taking place next year.A lawsuit filed by Bear Warriors United against the FWC is scheduled to go to trial in August in Tallahassee. Shadix said the case will include depositions of FWC officials as the group seeks to block future hunts.FWC officials say they are still compiling data on how many bears were harvested during the season. The agency has not yet released final numbers.

    Florida’s first black bear hunt since 2015 ended Saturday, closing a three-week season that drew sharp criticism from animal advocacy groups despite assurances from state wildlife officials that the population can sustain limited hunting.

    The hunt began Dec. 6 and concluded Dec. 28. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials say the hunt was carefully regulated and based on years of conservation and population data.

    A total of 172 permits were issued through a lottery system. Each permit allowed the harvest of one black bear, setting the maximum number of bears that could be taken during the season, according to FWC.

    “The Florida black bear population can sustain a hunt,” said Paul Scharnine of the FWC.

    But opponents argue the hunt could have long-term consequences for the state’s bear population.

    “This could have long-term detrimental effects on Florida black bears,” said Katrina Shadix, executive director of Bear Warriors United.

    Shadix said her organization worked throughout the season to stop or limit the hunt. She said dozens of bear advocates applied for permits through the lottery, with more than 40 receiving tags.

    Bear Warriors United also offered hunters $2,000 in exchange for their permits, an effort aimed at preventing bears from being killed. Shadix said at least 37 people inquired about the proposal.

    “I had to ask all of the hunters why they weren’t going to kill a bear,” Shadix said. “One simply wanted Christmas presents for his family.”

    As the season ends, advocacy groups say the fight is not over. Shadix said her organization plans to push for more data on bear populations and prevent another hunt from taking place next year.

    A lawsuit filed by Bear Warriors United against the FWC is scheduled to go to trial in August in Tallahassee. Shadix said the case will include depositions of FWC officials as the group seeks to block future hunts.

    FWC officials say they are still compiling data on how many bears were harvested during the season. The agency has not yet released final numbers.

    Source link

  • Trump administration moves to overhaul how H-1B visas are granted, ending lottery system

    The Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday it was replacing its longstanding lottery system for H-1B work visas with a new approach that prioritizes skilled, higher-paid foreign workers.The change follows a series of actions by the Trump administration aimed at reshaping a visa program that critics say has become a pipeline for overseas workers willing to work for lower pay, but supporters say drives innovation.”The existing random selection process of H-1B registrations was exploited and abused by U.S. employers who were primarily seeking to import foreign workers at lower wages than they would pay American workers,” said U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesman Matthew Tragesser.Earlier this year, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation imposing a $100,000 annual H-1B visa fee on highly skilled workers, which is being challenged in court. The president also rolled out a $1 million “gold card” visa as a pathway to U.S. citizenship for wealthy individuals.A press release announcing the new rule says it is “in line with other key changes the administration has made, such as the Presidential Proclamation that requires employers to pay an additional $100,000 per visa as a condition of eligibility.” Historically, H-1B visas have been awarded through a lottery system. This year, Amazon was by far the top recipient, with more than 10,000 visas approved, followed by Tata Consultancy Services, Microsoft, Apple and Google. California has the highest concentration of H-1B workers.The new system will “implement a weighted selection process that will increase the probability that H-1B visas are allocated to higher-skilled and higher-paid” foreign workers, according to Tuesday’s press release. It will go into effect Feb. 27, 2026, and will apply to the upcoming H-1B cap registration season.Supporters of the H-1B program say it is an important pathway to hiring healthcare workers and educators. They say it drives innovation and economic growth in the U.S. and allows employers to fill jobs in specialized fields.Critics argue that the visas often go to entry-level positions rather than senior roles requiring specialized skills. While the program is intended to prevent wage suppression or the displacement of U.S. workers, critics say companies can pay lower wages by classifying jobs at the lowest skill levels, even when the workers hired have more experience.The number of new visas issued annually is capped at 65,000, plus an additional 20,000 for people with a master’s degree or higher.

    WASHINGTON —

    The Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday it was replacing its longstanding lottery system for H-1B work visas with a new approach that prioritizes skilled, higher-paid foreign workers.

    The change follows a series of actions by the Trump administration aimed at reshaping a visa program that critics say has become a pipeline for overseas workers willing to work for lower pay, but supporters say drives innovation.

    “The existing random selection process of H-1B registrations was exploited and abused by U.S. employers who were primarily seeking to import foreign workers at lower wages than they would pay American workers,” said U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesman Matthew Tragesser.

    Earlier this year, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation imposing a $100,000 annual H-1B visa fee on highly skilled workers, which is being challenged in court. The president also rolled out a $1 million “gold card” visa as a pathway to U.S. citizenship for wealthy individuals.

    A press release announcing the new rule says it is “in line with other key changes the administration has made, such as the Presidential Proclamation that requires employers to pay an additional $100,000 per visa as a condition of eligibility.”

    Historically, H-1B visas have been awarded through a lottery system. This year, Amazon was by far the top recipient, with more than 10,000 visas approved, followed by Tata Consultancy Services, Microsoft, Apple and Google. California has the highest concentration of H-1B workers.

    The new system will “implement a weighted selection process that will increase the probability that H-1B visas are allocated to higher-skilled and higher-paid” foreign workers, according to Tuesday’s press release. It will go into effect Feb. 27, 2026, and will apply to the upcoming H-1B cap registration season.

    Supporters of the H-1B program say it is an important pathway to hiring healthcare workers and educators. They say it drives innovation and economic growth in the U.S. and allows employers to fill jobs in specialized fields.

    Critics argue that the visas often go to entry-level positions rather than senior roles requiring specialized skills. While the program is intended to prevent wage suppression or the displacement of U.S. workers, critics say companies can pay lower wages by classifying jobs at the lowest skill levels, even when the workers hired have more experience.

    The number of new visas issued annually is capped at 65,000, plus an additional 20,000 for people with a master’s degree or higher.

    Source link