February 10, 2026, Washington, DC : A renewed political push by US Republicans to end the H-1B visa programme has reignited a contentious debate on immigration, employment, and the future of foreign professionals working in the United States, many of whom come from India.
The latest flashpoint is a bill introduced in the US House of Representatives by Greg Steube, a Republican lawmaker from Florida. The proposed legislation, titled the Ending Exploitative Imported Labour Exemptions Act, or the EXILE Act, seeks to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act by terminating the H-1B visa programme altogether.
Steube has argued that the programme prioritises foreign labour over American workers, claiming it allows corporations to replace domestic employees with cheaper overseas professionals. According to him, this trend has contributed to job displacement among US citizens, particularly young workers entering the labour market.
The debate comes against the backdrop of an intensified immigration crackdown under President Donald Trump. Last year, the administration signed a proclamation imposing a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas, a move that caused widespread anxiety among Indian professionals and US-based employers dependent on skilled foreign talent. The administration has repeatedly framed alleged misuse of the H-1B system as a national security and economic concern.
Supporters of the programme counter these claims by pointing to critical sectors such as healthcare, where foreign-born professionals play a key role. Data cited in policy discussions suggest that restrictions on H-1B visas have limited access to residency programmes for thousands of US-trained physicians, even as hospitals continue to rely on overseas doctors to address staffing shortages.
The political narrative around job losses has also drawn attention to past corporate restructuring. Lawmakers backing the bill have cited cases involving major companies where American employees were laid off and later replaced with workers brought in under the H-1B system. These examples are frequently used to bolster arguments that the programme disadvantages the domestic workforce.
Meanwhile, the tightening of visa rules has had immediate human consequences. Several H-1B visa interviews scheduled across India have reportedly been postponed for months, leaving many applicants stranded after travelling for visa stamping and unsure when they will be able to return to the United States.
As the EXILE Act enters the early stages of legislative scrutiny, its prospects remain uncertain. However, the proposal has once again placed the H-1B visa programme at the centre of a broader national conversation on immigration, economic protectionism, and America’s long-standing reliance on skilled global talent.
