Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has requested that the Florida Board of Governors crack down on H-1B visa usage in universities. As of Oct. 29, DeSantis is urging universities to hire American graduates first and ensure taxpayer-funded schools prioritize the American workforce, and not foreign labor.
“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,” said DeSantis in a statement. “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.”
This directive would impact any Florida public university that receives taxpayer funding. H-1B visas allow companies and other employers in the United States to temporarily employ foreign workers in occupations that require highly specialized knowledge, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
PPCHS sophomore Noah Lopez views this decision that DeSantis made as a contradiction to his normal policy. “Doesn’t DeSantis support merit-based hiring? If the foreign workers are better qualified, then why get rid of them? I personally think Floridians should get first pick at jobs, but DeSantis is still contradicting himself,” states Lopez.
There are almost 400 employees on H-1B visas who currently work at Florida public universities under that visa program. The University of Florida is among the state’s leading users of the H-1B program with more than 150 staff on those visas, according to federal immigration data. Other universities aren’t far behind, with 72 at USF, 69 at Florida State University, 28 at the University of Central Florida, and 13 at Florida Atlantic University.
Senior Volga Ozturan understands DeSantis’s concerns about Florida workers first, but doesn’t think he is tackling the issue in the best way.
“If the purpose of the H-1B visa is truly to provide jobs for immigrants with special talents, it will only benefit the universities, even if it would take jobs from American citizens,” he states. Preventing the hiring of those with such visas won’t solve the problem; it just creates more.
This decision has been met with criticism from many universities, like the University of Florida (UF), which sees this decision as an impact on not just their workforce, but also their community. The legality of the decision remains uncertain as states do not have the authority to revoke visas, and firing employees on the basis of immigration status is illegal.
