A potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender is aligning — in broad strokes — with Trump’s skepticism of the high-skilled worker visa program.
Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., urged the Trump administration to step up oversight of H-1B visas, accusing big tech companies of abusing the program by hiring foreign workers while laying off American workers.
In a letter sent this week and shared first with Semafor, Gallego didn’t call out particular companies but described a “concerning trend in the technology and banking sectors,” suggesting the program’s use to “undercut or replace” American employees.
The letter inquires about the administration’s push earlier this year to step up H-1B enforcement.
“The intent of the H-1B visa program is to grow the economy and supplement the US workforce — not replace it. Given the number of unemployed American college graduates with relevant degrees and skills, the fact that corporations are laying off American workers while simultaneously hiring foreign H-1B workers raises important questions,” Gallego wrote.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said in a statement that the department’s civil rights division is “currently investigating some of the largest tech companies in America to determine if they’re complying with federal law.”
Trump’s related push to restrict H-1B visas generated pushback from the tech industry. He has since acknowledged the visas are needed to attract “certain talents” to the US, a remark that infuriated some of his MAGA supporters.
In the statement provided to Semafor, Dhillon said the Justice Department is “aggressively pursuing private companies, particularly those in the tech sector, that unlawfully discriminate against American workers in favor of foreign visa holders.”
“When appropriate, we will bring enforcement actions against bad actors and seek the maximum penalties available to deter future unlawful conduct,” she added.
The Department of Labor and US Citizenship and Immigration Services did not return requests for comment.