GOP Lawmaker Introduces ‘EXILE Act’ to Permanently End H-1B Visa Program
WASHINGTON — A Republican lawmaker has introduced new legislation in Congress aimed at permanently dismantling the H-1B visa program, a move that could fundamentally alter the landscape of the United States technology and healthcare sectors.
Representative Greg Steube (R-FL) formally proposed the “Ending Exploitative Imported Labor Exemptions Act,” also known as the EXILE Act, on Tuesday. The bill seeks to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to phase out the H-1B visa category entirely. According to the legislative text, the measure would reduce the number of authorized H-1B visas to zero beginning in the fiscal year 2027 and for all subsequent years.
The H-1B program currently allows U.S. employers to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. It has long been a critical pipeline for talent in fields such as information technology, engineering, and medicine. Tech giants and startups alike rely heavily on the program to fill high-skilled positions where they claim there is a domestic labor shortage.
In a statement accompanying the bill’s introduction, Rep. Steube argued that the program has been weaponized by corporations to displace American professionals with cheaper foreign labor.
“Our workers and young people continue to be displaced and disenfranchised by the H-1B visa program that awards corporations and foreign competitors at the expense of our workforce,” Steube said. “We cannot preserve the American dream for our children while forfeiting their share to non-citizens. That is why I am introducing the EXILE Act to put working Americans first again.”
The Congressman’s office cited specific historical instances to bolster the case for the ban, including the 2014 layoffs at Southern California Edison, where American IT workers were reportedly replaced by foreign workers on H-1B visas. The proposal also highlights concerns regarding the medical sector, suggesting that the visa program has limited residency slots available for U.S. medical graduates by facilitating the entry of foreign-born doctors.
The introduction of the EXILE Act follows a similar legislative attempt made earlier this year. Former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) filed a bill to abolish the H-1B category shortly before her resignation from Congress in January. While Greene’s proposal included a temporary exemption for medical professionals, Steube’s bill appears to take a more hardline approach by targeting a complete cessation of the program by 2027.
Immigration and economic experts have expressed strong opposition to such measures. Business groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and major tech industry associations, have historically lobbied vigorously to preserve and expand the H-1B cap, arguing that the U.S. economy cannot sustain its growth or innovation edge without access to global talent.
Critics of the bill warn that eliminating the visa could drive American companies to move operations offshore to access the skilled labor they need, potentially harming the very workforce the bill aims to protect. Additionally, the move would disproportionately affect nationals from India and China, who currently make up the vast majority of H-1B visa holders.
The bill’s introduction comes amidst a broader tightening of immigration enforcement and scrutiny. While the legislation faces a challenging path in a divided Congress, it signals a growing appetite within a faction of the Republican party to prioritize strict protectionist labor policies over traditional pro-business immigration stances.
* thefederal.com
* freepressjournal.in
* indianexpress.com
* madhyamamonline.com
* indiatoday.in
* newindiaabroad.com
* tribuneindia.com
* economictimes.com
* congress.gov
