Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort requests permission to hire 40 foreign workers

President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida has asked the federal government for permission to hire 40 foreign workers, according to data released Thursday by the U.S. Labor Department.

The Palm Beach resort wants to hire waiters and waitresses who would be employed using H-2B visas, which businesses typically obtain if they can establish that there are not enough American workers able or willing to fill the temporary positions.

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Trump defended the controversial practice during a GOP primary debate in 2016.

“It’s very, very hard to get people,” he said at the time. “Other hotels do the exact same thing.”

Trump told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” the same year that “getting help in Palm Beach during the season is almost impossible.”

If the request is approved by the Labor Department, Trump’s private resort will be allowed to employ the workers for $12.68 per hour from October 2018 to May 2019.

Last year, Mar-a-Lago was granted permission to hire 70 foreign workers to serve as maids, cooks and servers during the 2017-2018 tourist season.