US lawmaker floats Bill to end H-1B programme

US Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has introduced a Bill seeking to “end” the H-1B visa programme, in a move that could dramatically alter the landscape for skilled foreign workers — particularly Indian nationals, who constitute the overwhelming majority of beneficiaries under the scheme.

Announcing the proposal, Greene said the move would “eliminate” the H-1B system and “put Americans first” across sectors such as technology, healthcare, engineering and manufacturing.

She alleged that Big Tech companies, AI majors, hospitals and other industries had “abused” the programme to replace American workers.

“I am introducing a Bill to end the mass replacement of American workers by aggressively phasing out the H-1B (programme). If we want the next generation to have the American dream, we must stop replacing them and start investing in them,” she said, asserting that she would always put Americans first.

Her proposal comes on the heels of a major tightening of US immigration rules last month, when President Donald Trump imposed a steep annual fee of $100,000 on H-1B visas — up from around $2,000.

The proclamation, described as one of the most consequential shifts in the system in years, labelled H-1B “abuse” a “national security threat”, linking it to fraud, money laundering and organised crime by outsourcing firms.

Indians account for nearly 75 per cent of all H-1B visa-holders, and the Trump administration’s move has already raised significant concerns among skilled workers and employers alike. The massive fee hike is expected to deter many firms from sponsoring foreign professionals and could reshape hiring patterns in the US technology and research sectors.

Greene’s Bill is expected to trigger a contentious debate in Washington, with business groups, tech companies and immigrant advocacy organisations likely to oppose it strongly.

Combined with the administration’s broader push to tighten skilled immigration pathways, it marks a continuation of the US government’s hardening stance that could have far-reaching implications for Indian workers and companies that rely heavily on the H-1B pipeline.