To add lot of people don't seem to have read the full announcement. It says Secretary of Homeland Security can grant exception. That means companies like Tesla are more likely to get a pass - because manufacturing jobs and what not.

Also, HN is hyper focused on tech consulting. H1Bs are used by doctors too especially in rural America. Doctors apply for J1 waiver and then get H1B for work. From what I have heard some places the only available doctor is an immigrant on H1B. This is going to devastate medical teams.

Yes. As far as I understand it, the EO is not a rule, but will impact upcoming rules. H1B already has exceptions, so there is nothing new being said. It already has a cap exception for doctors and professors, so why not for critical private sector industries.

I'm pretty happy that my continued existence isn't subject to selective enforcement by some US bureaucrat. After all, given the last six months that sounds like a pretty stress inducing thing to have to be subjected to. They seem to err on the side of maximum harm, rather than caution.

Yes, it's a shakedown. If you're a good little poodle and grease the right palms you get a carve out. If you rock the boat or are too small to matter - well, I'm sorry, that's the law now, and no one is going to change it for you, etc.