Republican lawmakers are escalating their push to overhaul America’s legal immigration system, with fresh calls to suspend—or permanently eliminate—the H-1B temporary worker visa program.
Texas Republican Rep. Beth Van Duyne sparked renewed attention this week after publicly urging a complete shutdown of the H-1B program, arguing that Washington ignored the long-term damage caused by immigration policies that put foreign workers ahead of Americans.
Speaking Tuesday with conservative commentator Benny Johnson, Van Duyne warned that the visa program has spiraled out of control.
“The H-1B visa program needs to stop immediately until we understand just how badly it’s being abused,” she said. “If it continues as it is, it will keep hurting American workers.”
What Is the H-1B Visa Program?
The H-1B visa, created in 1990, allows U.S. companies to hire foreign workers for so-called “specialty occupations” when employers claim there are not enough qualified Americans available.
Over time, critics say the program has shifted away from its original purpose and now benefits large corporations at the expense of U.S. citizens—particularly older workers and recent graduates struggling to compete in the job market.
Trump Administration Tightens the Rules
While President Donald Trump has previously acknowledged that temporary work visas can fill legitimate labor shortages, his administration has taken aggressive steps to rein in the program.
Those actions include:
- Stricter eligibility standards
- Expanded background and social media screening
- Higher compliance requirements for employers
- A new $100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications
Administration officials say the goal is simple: protect American jobs, stop abuse, and discourage companies from replacing U.S. workers with cheaper foreign labor.
Big Tech Dominates H-1B Hiring
By early 2025, an estimated 730,000 H-1B visa holders were living in the United States. The majority were employed by major corporations—particularly Big Tech firms such as Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft—along with large finance and consulting companies.
Pro-immigration advocacy groups claim H-1B workers contribute billions to the economy each year. But critics argue those numbers fail to account for suppressed wages, lost job opportunities, and the long-term displacement of American workers.
Republicans Push Broader Immigration Reform
Van Duyne made clear that targeting the H-1B program is only part of a larger strategy to reform the U.S. immigration system. She also called for repealing the 1965 Hart-Celler Act, a law many conservatives blame for decades of unchecked immigration growth.
“We pass massive laws without understanding the consequences,” Van Duyne said. “And American workers are the ones paying the price.”
Other Republicans share that view. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has announced plans to introduce legislation aimed at aggressively phasing out H-1B visas, calling the program a form of “mass replacement” of American workers.
States Push Back, Lawsuits Filed
Democrat-led states, including California, have filed lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s $100,000 visa fee. California Attorney General Rob Bonta argues the policy creates financial strain on public employers and service providers.
The administration rejects that criticism, saying the fee and stricter oversight are necessary to stop abuse and restore fairness to the labor market.
What Happens Next?
Despite legal challenges, the Trump administration continues pressing forward with immigration reforms designed to limit H-1B approvals and prioritize American workers first.
With new screening rules officially taking effect this week, immigration—and protecting U.S. jobs—remains a central issue heading into the next election cycle.