Since the tightening of immigration rules at the beginning of the Trump administration, it has become more difficult for ballroom dance studios in Tennessee and other states to hire the instructors they need. Even when studios have found the right applicants, deportations and other processes have stymied the hiring process. Since the most popular ballroom dance forms are foreign, hiring instructors from overseas is often necessary.
National representatives from a dance studio chain as well as immigration attorneys have argued that increased backlogs for visa applications and necessary evidence requests have contributed to this problem. They claim that the Trump administration has erected an invisible wall that’s making it difficult for all types of industries, not just ballroom dancing, to hire the workers that they need. Data from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services showed that immigration case processing time rose by 46% from 2016 to 2018.
Lawyers representing many talented people in the arts and entertainment industry have claimed that their clients are facing unprecedented push back from the federal government. Creative people who would otherwise choose to go to the United States are now opting for Paris, Berlin or other spots around the world where they won’t experience disenfranchisement. Advocates for tighter immigration believe that ballroom dance studios and other creative businesses only have supply and demand to blame for their problems.
People attempting to immigrate to the United States to pursue creative or other types of careers can face many hurdles. It may be in their best interests to work with an immigration attorney who knows how the process works. While a lawyer cannot guarantee successful legal entry into the country, they can make sure their client files the right documents and follows all necessary legal procedures.