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Why is Walmart firing migrant workers at Florida stores? Supreme Court ruling prompts move
Walmart has fired migrant employees in at least two different locations.
Walmart has fired migrant employees at its Florida stores, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg News. This move comes following a Supreme Court ruling that allowed the Trump administration to revoke legal protections that were extended to hundreds of thousands of migrants in the past.
Walmart has reportedly informed staff in at least two different locations that continued employment is contingent on obtaining valid work authorization. The layoffs happened after several workers’ temporary legal residency status expired. This has affected various individuals who were previously allowed to live and work in the US under programs that had been established during the Biden administration.
The recent layoffs are tied to compliance with federal I-9 forms, which employers are required to use in order to identity and employment authorization of their workers. The total number of people fired remains unclear.
The Supreme Court ruling
The Supreme Court ruling could impact half a million migrants, including those from Venezuela, Haiti, Nicaragua and Cuba, the New York Post reported. As part of the ruling, the Trump administration can end temporary protections for people who were allowed to enter the US legally, and were often integrated into the workforce.
Walmart’s decision came days after the Walt Disney Company told a few Florida-based employees losing temporary legal status that their jobs are about to be terminated. The company said at the time that 45 workers were placed on leave following the legal ruling. Disney cited compliance with federal immigration laws as the reason for the move.
“We are committed to protecting the health, safety, and well-being of all our employees who may be navigating changing immigration policies and how they could impact them or their families,” Disney said in a statement, adding that the employees, Venezuelan nationals were previously granted Temporary Protected Status, will continue to receive benefits while on leave.
