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Van Orden says he's working on proposal to help immigrants get work permits

Van Orden says he's working on proposal to help immigrants get work permits

Yahoo08-05-2025
U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden receives the endorsement of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau. (Henry Redman | Wisconsin Examiner)
U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden says he's working on a proposal that would alter two current work authorization programs to make it easier for businesses including farms and hotels to hire immigrant workers.
Van Orden, who sits on the House agriculture committee, told the news outlet NOTUS that he's working with Trump administration officials on a proposal to alter the H-2A and H-2B visa programs. Both programs currently provide temporary work visas for people working seasonally.
The H-2A program, which is targeted at seasonal farm labor, has frustrated Wisconsin dairy farmers because year-round workers, including in dairy, are not eligible for the program. Immigrant workers comprise an estimated 70% of the labor force on Wisconsin dairy farms.
'Rocks are heavy. Trees are made of wood. Gravity is real. There's 20 million illegal aliens here that have been floating agriculture, hospitality and construction for decades, and we need their labor,' Van Orden told NOTUS.
Van Orden said the proposal is in line with the Trump administration's increased immigration enforcement efforts because it doesn't offer a pathway to citizenship or encourage an increase in unauthorized crossings of the border while making it easier for people to come to the U.S. to work.
'That's why people come here illegally, because it's so hard to come here legally,' Van Orden said. 'We're all working towards the goal of making sure that our economy can maintain its relevancy.'
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H&R Block's Q4 Earnings Miss Estimates, Improve Year Over Year

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A Week In Brooklyn On A $140,000 Joint Income
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Debt: $0 Paycheck Amount (2x/month): $2,279.22 Pronouns: She/her; my wife H.'s pronouns are she/they. Monthly Expenses Housing Costs: Our rent is $2,150 for a two-bed, one-bath. As mentioned above, H. and I split our rent based on income, so I pay $1,450 and she pays $700. H. will be starting a full-time teaching job in the fall and once she feels comfortable financially, we will split the rent in half. Loan Payments: $0 Gas: $11.50 Electric: $39 Phone: $0 (I am on my family's plan). Internet: $17.50 iCloud Storage: $2.99 Netflix: $17.99 (I get HBO Max from my parents and access to Hulu and Paramount+ from friends). Spotify: $11.99 Rock Climbing Membership: $135 Personal Training: ~$500 (I pay $1,300 for 10 weeks). MTA OMNY: $30 Brokerage Account: $300 Roth IRA: $200 HYSA: $700 Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it? Absolutely. 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I did not know how much my parents made, but I knew we were comfortable, and I knew every dollar I was gifted for holidays and birthdays was going into my savings account for when I was older. Now that I am older and they are nearing retirement, I appreciate their perspective on how to invest my money, how much to put into savings, and how much to save for a house in the future. What was your first job and why did you get it? My first job was the summer before I attended college, and I was a camp counselor at my former sleepaway camp. I mainly got the job as a way to work with camp friends and to get some spending money before going to college. Did you worry about money growing up? I was privileged enough not to worry about money, but I was aware of it. I lived in a diverse school district and could see the stark disparities in income between my peers. 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I am mentoring an intern this summer, and we meet over free pizza provided by the company. 3 p.m. — It's a slow day at work. It has stopped raining, and I want to go outside. I decide to hop on the train to the Lower East Side to pick up a candle and finish the workday in a coffee shop. Two months back, I got this frankincense and myrrh candle from a bookstore that H. and I loved, but I accidentally threw out the jar. I contacted the bookstore asking for the candle company name and they replied that they had one left in stock, and that they would hold onto it for me. While I would usually just order it online, I felt beholden to go pick it up from these very lovely people. $1.45 3:15 p.m. — I see a thrift store on my walk and step in. I've been on the search for more gender-affirming clothes — more boxy and gender-neutral pieces. Also, since I rock climb and do personal training, my body proportions have been changing, with new muscly arms and shoulders. It's nice to feel so strong, but annoying to have tops that are too tight around my arms! I buy a pair of jeans that don't hug my hips too much. They're a little long but since I am 5'1, most clothes are. I think one of H.'s friends can hem them for me. $15.53 3:30 p.m. — I pass by a bakery that I heard on TikTok has great chocolate chip cookies. They have run out of chocolate chip when I step inside, so I get a kitchen sink cookie. It tastes fine (i.e. it did not live up to the hype, but also maybe because I got the wrong type of cookie). $4.36 4 p.m. — I pick up the candle from the bookstore ($17.42) and head to a nearby coffee shop for a chai latte ($8.67). I was hoping to finish the rest of the workday in this coffee shop but there are no tables. Oh well, I already bought this chai so it's too late. I balance my laptop on my knees for the last hour of work. $26.09 5:30 p.m. — Done with work! I have an hour to kill before I meet with a friend to do volunteer work together. 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H. is still sleeping since they worked late last night. 10:45 a.m. — H. goes to see friends while I walk to a nearby grocery store to get chai concentrate and oat milk. I start off every morning with a chai latte and H. with coffee, so we go through oat milk pretty fast. At the grocery store, I buy three containers of Tazo chai concentrate, a gallon of oat milk, and a Luna bar to snack on later. $29.85 11 a.m. — I put the groceries away and check my work computer. No meetings until later. I am very lucky with how flexible my job is. Most of the time, I am waiting for programming requests to come in but with the current administration, things seem to be in a standstill. I hop on the subway to pick up a bench from someone on Facebook Marketplace. H. and I have been redecorating the apartment, and a bench would be perfect for the space below our TV. I eat my Luna bar on the train and listen to the Heavyweight podcast. $1.45 12 p.m. — I arrive and wait for the person to bring down the bench. While waiting, I contact Cochlear since my insurance still won't approve my cochlear implant upgrade. Insurance is unbelievably annoying. I make an ENT appointment on Zocdoc so I can get a letter of medical necessity from them. 12:30 p.m. — The FB Marketplace person never responds. Ugh. I'm grumpy now. I look at Ubers home, but they are over $50. I head to the subway ($1.45), but stop for water first at a Dunkin ($2.69). $4.14 1 p.m. — While on the train, the FB Marketplace person gets back to me with many apologies (I think she just forgot and was in a work meeting). They offer to get me an Uber courier for my troubles. I venmo them $100 for the bench. $100 1:15 p.m. — I arrive home after a train ride that took way too long. I heat up some Trader Joe's gyoza for lunch and make a peanut sauce and cucumber salad to go along with it. The bench arrives via Uber courier and after carrying it up the stairs, it looks great in the apartment! 5:30 p.m. — H. is home! After talking for a bit, I go on a walk and talk to my parents on the phone. When I get home, I buy three New York Liberty tickets for me, H., and my dad for Father's Day. He has been talking about wanting to go to a game. H. will pay me back later for their portion of the ticket. $119.34 7 p.m. — I start on dinner while H. talks to their mom on FaceTime. I do most of the cooking, but H. does nearly all the grocery shopping (they work at a grocery store). Since H. is leaving for the airport tomorrow and I am heading to Montana for a vacation, I try to clean out the fridge as much as I can. Tonight for dinner is miso salmon with white rice, cucumbers, scallions, and quick-pickled carrots. H. and I hang out at home together for the rest of the night. Daily Total: $254.78 Day Three: Thursday 8 a.m. — Usual morning routine. I am WFH again today. I feed my cat, make myself a chai, and work for a bit. 9:30 a.m. — H. has a friend over for a Spanish lesson over Zoom. They grab bagels for the three of us for breakfast. 12 p.m. — My UPS order for my MacBook arrives! I paid $1,338.07 for an eBay-refurbished 2023 MacBook Pro. It looks to be in great condition and I'm very happy. I set up my old PC and the new MacBook for file migration. 12:30 p.m. — H., our friend, and I get Middle Eastern food at a restaurant near us. I get a falafel platter with plenty of leftovers for tomorrow. I put down my card and H. and our friend venmo me. $18.51 3:30 p.m. — I am supposed to have personal training later in Manhattan, but I realize I'll be late to a film screening later if I go. Plus, I want to spend more time with H. before she heads to the airport. I text my trainer and because this is my first time cancelling, she doesn't charge me. I love personal training and appreciate the motivation it gives me to work out and take care of myself, but I wonder if the cost is worth it. (Update: since writing this diary, I signed up for another 10 sessions. I think I am going to keep it for now, especially since my trainer is great to work with, and it's fun to yap with her. The downside is that it is a bit out of the way from my office and apartment, but I keep thinking about the importance of strength training, and I am enjoying how I am feeling, so I don't think I will be stopping anytime soon.) 5 p.m. — I finish up work and say goodbye to H., who is heading to the airport. I am bummed. I take the subway into the city to see a Tribeca film screening of Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore with a fellow Deaf friend. I got tickets ($28 each) about a month ago. $1.45 5:45 p.m. — There is a food market happening in the area and I can't resist. 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I have some Cheerios and a chai for breakfast. 11:30 a.m. — I walk to a nearby art store and buy three cards. I then go to my local library to print out the receipt for the NY Liberty tickets to put in the Father's Day card (I already had money on my library card so didn't need to pay — I think normally it's 20 cents per page for black and white printing). I return home and heat up the leftover falafel for lunch. $18.51 4 p.m. — I log off work (my job has Summer Fridays) and take a long nap. After waking up at 6 p.m., writing a birthday card, and talking to H. on FaceTime, I take the subway into the city for my friend's birthday party. The birthday party is at Margaritaville. $1.45 8:30 p.m. — Man, Margaritaville is so overstimulating. A Deaf person's nightmare. I get one strawberry margarita and a very bad pasta dish but hey, the vibes are fun otherwise — and I can see my friend is having a good time. After tax and tip for 14 people, I venmo my friend $65. I have money in my Venmo balance, so it feels free. $65 12 a.m. — After the rooftop bar closes at 12:15 a.m., it's time to head home. I take the subway and head to bed. $1.45 Daily Total: $86.41 Day Five: Friday 10 a.m. — I wake up and make myself some toast with a fried egg. I play Cascadia on my laptop for the next few hours. 2 p.m. — I quickly pack and head out to my parents' place for the weekend to celebrate both my brother's birthday and Father's Day. I buy round-trip commuter rail tickets. $17.50 3 p.m. — I buy a bag of Sun Chips at the train station to snack on. $1.80 6 p.m. — The family and I go out to dinner for my brother's birthday. I get crab-stuffed shrimp for dinner and split a salad with my mom. My parents pay for the dinner. 10 p.m. – We head home and I call H. before going to bed. Daily Total: $19.30 Day Six: Saturday 10 a.m. — I wake up and shower at my parents' house. Today, we are getting lunch for Father's Day and then I need to head back to Brooklyn and get ready to fly to Montana tomorrow. I gift my dad the Liberty tickets and he seems happy! 12 p.m. — My parents, brother, and I get lunch for Father's Day. The rain holds up and we get to sit outside. Mom pays for the lunch. 2 p.m. — I take the train back to Brooklyn. When I get home, I realize I don't have enough underwear for my trip. I head to the laundromat and use my prepaid laundry card. $1.45 8 p.m. — I am having an allergic reaction to something. I am all swollen, itchy, and have broken out in hives. I'm not comfortable but am reluctant to get Benadryl for fear of sleeping through my alarm. I need to get up at 3:30 a.m. to head to the airport. I go to the deli near me and get a Hershey bar. I sit on my couch and watch The Beautician and the Beast for free on Pluto TV. For those of you looking for a silly 90's movie with Fran Drescher, it's perfect. $1.81 10 p.m. — OK, these allergies are getting worse. I run back to the deli and get a small pack of Benadryl. I quickly get drowsy and doze off. $1.55 Daily Total: $4.81 Day Seven: Sunday 3:30 a.m. — God, I am tired. The Benadryl is still in my system. But I am grateful I didn't sleep through my alarm and miss this flight. I call a Lyft to the airport, which is subsidized by my parents. 4:30 a.m. — Through security! Now time to get extremely overpriced food. I get a water bottle ($5.02), a chocolate croissant, and a fruit bar ($13.69). I have a layover in Chicago, and I'll get actual breakfast there later. $18.71 8 a.m. — Landed in Chicago! When I deboard, I see the airline has figured out I am Deaf and brought me a wheelchair. Typical Deaf experience. I feel so much second-hand embarrassment from it that I just walk right past them. Can someone who works for an airline explain how and why this happens? After pretending I don't exist, I walk to McDonald's and get an Egg McMuffin with hash browns and orange juice. I scarf down my breakfast and catch the next flight to Missoula. $13.15 1:30 p.m. — Hello from Montana! I'm so excited to see my friend E. and spend time with her this week. After E. meets me at the airport and we get our rental car, we grab lunch in Missoula. I get a veggie sandwich and a chai latte. After that, we drive an hour to the town we're staying in. $15 4 p.m. — After arriving at the Airbnb, E. and I drive around and run some errands. A lot of places in town are cash-only, or have high card transaction fees, so I take out $80 from an ATM. There is a $3.50 fee. 6:30 p.m. — E. and I go to her friend's place in town and E. makes risotto for all of us. We are surrounded by mountains and trees. I feel grateful to be surrounded by so much natural beauty. I am exhausted after this travel day and head to bed around 10 p.m. Daily Total: $130.36 The Breakdown Conclusion 'This was an interesting week to write a Money Diary since H. was in the middle of leaving to visit loved ones and I was heading to Montana. It was quite an in-between, transitional time for me, and I think I spent less than usual because I was preparing to spend a lot on my vacation (which was great! Montana is beautiful and a great place to hike. I spent a medium amount: We ate out for most of our meals, and I did a ton of thrifting, but also everything there is much cheaper. I was with my friend's little brother who is 10, so we bought him some things, too). Overall, I do try to curb my impulse spending, especially on shopping, and was pretty proud of myself for the week I had.' Money Diaries are meant to reflect an individual's experience and do not necessarily reflect Refinery29's point of view. Refinery29 in no way encourages illegal activity or harmful behavior. The first step to getting your financial life in order is tracking what you spend — to try on your own, check out our guide to managing your money every day. For more Money Diaries, click here. We've updated our Money Diaries submission process: You can now submit your Money Diary via our online form or by sending us a bit of information about you and your financial situation to moneydiary@ We pay $150 for each published diary. Apologies but we're not able to reply to every email. Prior to submitting your Money Diary, please read and consider Refinery29's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Submission of your Money Diary does not guarantee publication by Refinery29. Should your Money Diary be selected for publication, Refinery29 may, in its sole discretion, elect to pay you a fee, subject to such further terms and conditions as Refinery29 may deem necessary. Money Diaries that are not published are not entitled to receive any payment. Refinery29 will not remove Money Diaries once published. By submitting your Money Diary to Refinery29, you agree to abide and be bound by the applicable Terms of Use and Privacy Policy linked above. All submissions need to be original to the author (i.e., no AI contributions). here or email us here

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