Governor Ron DeSantis just dropped a bombshell on Florida’s public universities, slamming the brakes on the H-1B visa program with a directive that’s got academia buzzing.
Breitbart reported that on Wednesday, DeSantis instructed the Florida Board of Governors to cease using H-1B visas for hiring at state universities, aiming to protect job opportunities for residents and fellow Americans.
Standing at the University of Florida, a major player in the H-1B game with over 150 staff on such visas, DeSantis made his stance crystal clear.
“I am directing today, the Florida Board of Governors, to pull the plug on the use of these H-1B visas in our universities,” DeSantis declared, signaling a hard stop to what he sees as a flawed system.
Let’s unpack that—while the intent behind H-1B is to bring in specialized skills, DeSantis argues it’s become a loophole for sidelining American workers, a point that resonates with many frustrated job seekers.
Audits cited by DeSantis revealed some eyebrow-raising hires, including a public policy professor from China discussing sensitive topics with students at state schools.
Other examples include an assistant swim coach from Spain and a graphic designer from Canada working in university athletic departments—roles many argue could be filled locally.
With nearly 400 foreign employees currently on H-1B visas across Florida’s public universities, the scale of this program’s reach is no small matter, and DeSantis is calling for a reckoning.
DeSantis didn’t mince words when addressing the broader implications, emphasizing that the state shouldn’t rely on foreign hires when homegrown talent is available.
“We can do it with our residents in Florida or with Americans — and if we can’t do it, then, man, we need to really look deeply [at] what is going on with this situation,” he said, per the Orlando Sentinel.
That’s a fair challenge—why lean on an international pipeline if the skills exist right here, especially when Floridians are hungry for stable, meaningful work?
Critics of the H-1B program, including voices from conservative circles, have long argued it’s a mechanism that often benefits corporate interests over everyday Americans, a sentiment DeSantis seems to echo.
While some defend the program as a way to attract top-tier expertise, the reality on the ground—hundreds of visa holders in roles that don’t always scream “irreplaceable”—paints a different picture, one that’s hard to ignore.
This move by DeSantis isn’t just a policy shift; it’s a cultural statement, a pushback against a system many see as prioritizing globalism over the folks paying taxes in their own backyard, and it’s a debate worth having with open eyes and honest dialogue.