Post by : Rameen Ariff

Washington D.C.: A prominent immigration authority has sounded alarm bells regarding the proposed bill by Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, which seeks to ban H-1B visas for most sectors, jeopardizing American lives through diminished healthcare access.

On Friday, Greene reiterated her intention to eliminate H-1B visas across all sectors, preserving only the medical field. Her proposition drastically reduces the annual visa cap to 10,000 from the existing 85,000 and aims to phase out this exemption over a ten-year horizon, additionally stripping visa holders of their pathway to citizenship and mandating their return to their countries of origin.

Sarah Pierce, who is the Director of Social Policy at the think tank Third Way, condemned the initiative, asserting it would “sabotage access to healthcare instantaneously” by significantly cutting the influx of foreign medical professionals aiding U.S. communities. She noted, “The current H-1B program allows far more healthcare workers than her arbitrary cap of 10,000 would permit. This legislation would leave American families, particularly in rural regions, with fewer physicians, extended wait times, and unnecessary fatalities. It’s a mask of cruelty masquerading as policy.

While there have been job losses among U.S. workers in the tech sector due to H-1B visa allocations, Pierce warned that abolishing the program entirely is “both misleading and perilous.” She contended that drastic cuts to visas, or imposing punitive fees—such as the $100,000 fee proposed in September—would hinder the American economy and vital sectors dependent on specialized talent.

Former President Trump has defended the H-1B program, underlining its necessity for attracting high-skilled professionals to the U.S. In a Fox News interview, he stated, “You don’t have certain talents… you can’t take people off an unemployment line and put them into a factory. We require skilled individuals to manage advanced technology and industries.”

The White House has made it clear that its priority lies in addressing abuses within the visa system rather than abolishing it outright. Recently, the Department of Labor initiated at least 175 investigations into potential H-1B visa program violations.

In 2024, over 70% of approved H-1B visas were allocated to India-born workers, showcasing both a significant backlog of applicants and the large presence of Indian professionals contributing to U.S. industries.

Experts like Pierce call on Congress to reform the H-1B program in a judicious manner, ensuring it continues to serve American families and businesses effectively while also addressing fairness and oversight issues.

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