H-1B visa hiring banned in Florida: Setback for immigrants as Ron DeSantis urges state universities to hire Americans
Florida has banned H-1B visa hiring, directing universities to prioritize American workers. Governor DeSantis criticised the use of foreign workers and stated that universities should evaluate their programs if they cannot find qualified citizens for job openings.
In a big setback for immigrants, Florida has banned H-1B visa hiring as Governor Ron DeSantis urged state universities to hire Americans.
"Universities across the country are importing foreign workers on H-1B visas instead of hiring Americans who are qualified and available to do the job. We will not tolerate H-1B abuse in Florida institutions. That’s why I have directed the Florida Board of Governors to end this practice," Governor Ron DeSantis stated.
He added, “Florida leads the nation in higher education, and thousands of highly qualified Americans graduate from our colleges and universities every year.”
What if universities face difficulty to find US citizens to fill their job openings?
If universities struggle to find US citizens to fill their job opening, then “they ought to evaluate their academic programs to determine why they cannot produce graduates who can be hired for these positions”, according to Ron DeSantis.
H-1B visas are mostly linked to tech professionals from India, with major technology companies being the largest sponsors, and roughly 75% of approvals going to Indian applicants. However, essential workers such as teachers and doctors also rely on this visa, even though they are less commonly represented.
Florida DOGE partners with Federal DOGE
DeSantis also announced that Florida DOGE has collaborated with Federal DOGE, the State University System, and institutional partners to cancel or repurpose millions of dollars in DEI-related grants. By working with Federal DOGE, the State University System, and individual institutions, Florida has repurposed or canceled DEI-related grants with total intended amounts exceeding $33 million, according to ANI. The statement claimed that several grants were canceled due to “lack of compliance” with state and federal law regarding DEI-centric, discriminatory missions.
For example, a USD 1.5 million grant for “Challenging Anti-Black Racism in Civil and Environmental Engineering Curriculum,” which focused on environmental justice and equitable and inclusive curriculum for civil engineers, was affected.
Another example is a USD 1.3 million grant for “Mobilizing Physics Teachers to Promote Inclusive and Communal Classroom Cultures Through Everyday Actions", which aimed at inclusive and equitable practices for women and minority racial groups and promoting inclusion and equity in classrooms.
Florida repurposed millions of dollars from grants that were originally centered on DEI initiatives to ensure they comply with state and federal law and constitute a proper use of taxpayer money, the report noted. For example, a $1.5 million grant that previously aimed to support “historically marginalized students” in STEM has been refocused to prioritise students based on financial need instead of race or ethnicity.