Florida governor says H-1B visas mostly benefit Indians, calls it a ‘total scam’
The official argued that companies misuse the system to replace American employees and urged a re-evaluation of immigration policies to prioritise US citizens.
Florida's governor Ron DeSantis on Wednesday (local time) called the H-1B visa model a ‘total scam', adding that its mostly Indians who “make money” off of the system.
In an interview with Fox News, the governor disputed the notion that the H-1B visa model attracts the brightest talent from across countries, arguing that it has become a system benefitting a specific industry which is dominated by workers from India.
When the anchor brought up cheap labour as a reason for importing foreign workers, DeSantis said that H-1B limits workers from one country, India and that it is an “indentured servitude” that Indians have been taking advantage of from time to time.
“Often, people used to say, 'We're getting the cream of the crop from all around the world.' The reality is that's not actually what H1Bs are. Most of them are from one country…there's a cottage industry about how all that people make money off this system," DeSantis said.
‘H-1B a total scam’
{{/usCountry}}‘H-1B a total scam’
{{/usCountry}}When asked by anchor Laura Ingraham about the differing opinions over the H1B visa issue in President Trump's cabinet, DeSantis said, “I think you're right to say the H-1B, it's become a total scam. These companies game the system. Some of these companies are laying off large numbers of Americans while also hiring new H-1 B workers and renewing existing H-1 B visas.”
{{/usCountry}}When asked by anchor Laura Ingraham about the differing opinions over the H1B visa issue in President Trump's cabinet, DeSantis said, “I think you're right to say the H-1B, it's become a total scam. These companies game the system. Some of these companies are laying off large numbers of Americans while also hiring new H-1 B workers and renewing existing H-1 B visas.”
{{/usCountry}}“Why would we be importing foreign workers when we have our own people that we need to take care of?” DeSantis argued claiming that companies often train American workers alongside H-1B visa holders, only to lay off the Americans and hire the foreign workers.
He also blamed artificial intelligence for rapidly displacing a young work force in the United States, further accelerating the H-1B argument, stressing that dislocating young workers is a battle US is already fighting.
“The overall message from the time President Trump ran for office was to put American people first and he has done that in so many ways in borders and other things, and I think it should apply to these visa programs as well,” DeSantis said.
Also read | Will change green card, says US Commerce Secy Lutnick; calls H1-B visa system ‘terrible’
What Howard Lutnick said on visas
DeSantis' argument comes after United States Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick recently said that the country is looking to change the green card and H1-B visa system, altering significant parts of the current immigration program in place.
“I'm involved in changing the H1-B program. We're going to change that program,” Lutnick said in an interview to Fox News, while calling the visa system “terrible”, HT reported earlier.
Lutnick had also announced that the green card will be replaced by a ‘gold card’.
“That's the gold card that's coming. And that's we're gonna start picking the best people to come into this country. It's time for that to change,” the commerce secretary said.
Under the ‘gold card’ proposed by the Trump administration, foreigners who invest $5 million in the US would be offered permanent residency in the country.
Lutnick has claimed that there is already a strong interest the proposed program, and that 250,000 people are in queue. He has further said that the program will generate $1.25 trillion in revenue for the US.
