Washington, Feb 10: In a move that has sent shockwaves across the Indian and global immigrant community, a US Republican lawmaker has introduced a bill to completely shut down the H-1B visa program — a lifeline for lakhs of skilled professionals. US Representative Greg Steube has tabled the “Ending Exploitative Imported Labor Exemptions Act” (EXILE Act), arguing that the program hurts American workers and unfairly favours foreign talent, particularly from India and China.
If passed, the bill will amend the Immigration and Nationality Act and bring the number of H-1B visas down to zero from fiscal year 2027, effectively killing the program. Steube alleged that companies misuse H-1B visas to replace American workers, citing examples involving Microsoft, FedEx, Disney, and Southern California Edison. His office claims thousands of Americans lost jobs while firms continued hiring foreign professionals under H-1B, triggering fresh political fire ahead of the US elections.
For decades, the H-1B visa program has been the backbone of America’s tech, healthcare, and innovation economy — and the backbone of middle-class dreams for Indian engineers, doctors, and students. Today, the EXILE Act threatens to turn that dream into a nightmare. While job protection for citizens is a legitimate concern, painting all H-1B workers as “job stealers” ignores a hard truth: Silicon Valley, hospitals, and research labs run on global talent.
More than 80% of H-1B holders are Indians and Chinese, many of whom studied in US universities, paid taxes, bought homes, and raised American children. Ending the program doesn’t just impact visa holders — it risks pushing innovation, startups, and investments out of the US. Countries like Canada and the UK are already rolling out red carpets for the same talent America now wants to shut out.
The real issue isn’t H-1B workers — it’s misuse, wage loopholes, and outsourcing abuse. Reform was needed, not a shutdown. If the EXILE Act gains traction, it could redefine America’s image from “land of opportunity” to “closed club.” For Indian NRIs, students on F-1 visas, and families waiting years for Green Cards, this bill is more than politics — it’s a warning signal that the rules of the American Dream may be changing fast.
