In this article, the author argues that the H-1B visa, originally created to bring in highly skilled, elite foreign professionals, has been gradually hijacked by big business to drive down labor costs. The effect of this has been the displacement of U.S. workers and depressing wages. The author traces how businesses and lobbyists pushed through favorable reforms including loosening labor protections, removing recruitment requirements, and weakening wage rules, allowing them to import a large number of cheaper workers under the guise of “competitiveness.” This has turned the H-1B program into a tool for outsourcing and profit rather than merit. Bloustein School professor Hal Salzman contributes to the author’s critique: according to his research, presented before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and the National Interest, guest workers now fill half of all IT jobs and two-thirds of new IT hires under 30, highlighting the deep penetration of H-1B workers in the tech labor market.
American Affairs Journal, Winter 2025 Issue (published November 20, 2025)