Just days before stepping down from office, a controversial lawmaker has moved to reignite debate around one of the most debated US work visa programmes.
Marjorie Taylor Greene has introduced a bill in the US House of Representatives that seeks to completely abolish the H-1B visa programme. The proposal targets a key route for skilled foreign professionals, including a large number of workers from India. The legislation, listed as HR 6937, was filed on January 2 and calls for amendments to the Immigration and Nationality Act to remove the H-1B visa category “and for other purposes.”
While immigration experts say the bill is unlikely to gather enough support to become law, it has once again sparked discussion around the future of the H-1B system. The proposal was immediately referred to multiple House committees, including Judiciary, Energy and Commerce, and Ways and Means, where it will undergo preliminary review.
Data from a report issued by US Citizenship and Immigration Services shows the potential scale of impact. Of all H-1B applications approved in fiscal 2024, including extensions, 71% or around 2.8 lakh were for Indian beneficiaries. Chinese nationals followed with about 47,000 approvals, accounting for roughly 12% of the total.
The bill currently offers no clarity on transitional provisions or exemptions for existing visa holders. Information available on the official government website only outlines amendments to the Immigration and Nationality Act, without addressing the status of those already working in the US on H-1B visas.
Greene, a Republican from Georgia, has long criticised the H-1B visa programme. She argues that it harms American workers by allowing companies, particularly in the technology sector, to hire foreign labour at lower wages. In statements linked to the bill, she repeated this view, presenting the move as a way to protect US jobs and counter what she calls “outsourcing and wage suppression.” On social media, she said the programme has often been misused by corporations that prioritise profits over people.
The timing of the bill is notable. Greene, once a prominent ally of Donald Trump, has recently had a public fallout with him. This followed disagreements, including her support for bipartisan efforts to release files related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. The political rift ended with Greene’s resignation from the House, effective January 5.
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