Representative Greg Steube Unveils Legislation to Eliminate the H-1B Visa Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Representative Greg Steube (R-FL) has introduced new legislation aimed at completely eliminating the H-1B visa program, a move that signals a significant potential shift in United States immigration and labor policy. The H-1B visa is currently the primary pathway for U.S. employers to temporarily hire foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise.
The introduction of this bill underscores a growing sentiment among immigration restrictionists that the current visa system disadvantages the domestic workforce. For years, critics of the H-1B program have argued that it is frequently exploited by large corporations to replace qualified American workers with cheaper foreign labor, subsequently stagnating wages in the technology and engineering sectors. Steube’s legislation seeks to prioritize the U.S. labor market by removing the mechanism often blamed for these displacements.
The H-1B program currently operates under a congressionally mandated cap, typically issuing 65,000 new visas annually, with an additional 20,000 reserved for applicants holding a master’s degree or higher from a U.S. institution. It is heavily utilized by major technology firms, research organizations, and universities to staff roles in software development, engineering, and science.
However, the proposal to abolish the program faces intense scrutiny and opposition from the business community and economic analysts. Industry advocacy groups warn that ending the H-1B visa would sever access to top-tier global talent, arguing that the domestic supply of STEM graduates is insufficient to meet current market demands. Opponents of the bill contend that restricting high-skilled immigration will not save American jobs but will instead force multinational companies to offshore positions to countries with more favorable immigration policies, such as Canada or India, ultimately harming American innovation and global competitiveness.
