Florida Governor Ron DeSantis sharpened his criticism of the H-1B visa program on Wednesday, calling it a “scam” that disproportionately benefits Indian workers. He accused U.S. companies of exploiting the system by replacing Americans with cheaper foreign labor, claiming there is “a cottage industry” profiting off the practice.
His comments come against the backdrop of escalating U.S.-India trade tensions, after Washington imposed a 50% tariff on Indian goods. DeSantis also tied his criticism to broader workplace disruptions, warning that artificial intelligence is already displacing younger Americans. “We should be protecting our own, not importing more labor,” he said.
The Trump administration is preparing a sweeping overhaul of the visa system, shifting from a lottery to a wage-based model. Under the proposed structure, entry-level jobs would be closed to overseas hires, with foreign recruitment limited to top-tier, high-wage roles.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick reinforced the administration’s stance, insisting that “hiring American workers should be the priority of all great American businesses.” He too called H-1B a “scam” and said reforms would extend to green card allocations.
Future immigration changes under President Trump are expected to introduce a “gold card” system, designed to prioritize only the “best people” while restricting opportunities for lower-wage foreign workers.