This is just a driveby legal shakedown. The requirement for PERM/greencard application is to prove there was sufficient effort to hire an US citizen first. The standard practice is post a ad matching the applicants qualification on local papers first. I went through the process twice at two different companies since I left the first one before PERM was completed. Apple just happened to be a juice target here. The real culprit is the backward immigration system designed to pacify voters.

> optics

Didn’t they used to specifically and notably not care about this? See ACLU defense of neo nazi march.

Small city council politics :( there's a lot of resistance against a new temporary housing project for Ukrainian refugees with many legit concerns, and some NIMBY, but also xenophobia and racism.

It's tough but we've been able to start a YIMBY group and encouraging people and organisations to make public comments or send letters of support. A good few didn't dare because they feared reactions, and rightfully so, because some who did (including me) ended up on the receiving end of some bullshit. All bark and no bite - for now - but not great for democracy.

I find it ironic to see (what I think is) the Trump wall in the background. The entire argument for building it was to prevent such crossings. It looks massive.