Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has ordered a complete halt to the hiring of foreign workers on H-1B visas across all state universities, mandating that institutions prioritize American citizens and Florida residents for job openings.
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- The Ban: DeSantis has directed the Florida Board of Governors to “pull the plug” on using H-1B visas in state higher education.
- The Mandate: Universities are now required to put American graduates and residents first in line for positions, ensuring taxpayer-funded schools “serve the American workforce.”
- The Rationale: The Governor cited concerns over visa abuse, claiming universities are importing foreign workers instead of hiring qualified and available Americans. He also characterized the practice as using “cheap foreign labor.”
- Audit Findings: DeSantis mentioned audits that revealed state colleges had hired people from countries like China for roles, including professors and policy speakers. He asked pointedly, “Why do we need to bring someone from China to talk about public policy?!”
- Targeted Roles: The audit highlighted H-1B workers in roles the Governor argued did not require specialized foreign expertise, such as computer application coordinators, assistant professors, and even an assistant swim coach.
Compliance and Accountability
The Florida Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will partner with the State University System and federal authorities to ensure compliance.
The Governor further stressed that if universities are “truly struggling” to find qualified U.S. citizens, they must re-evaluate their academic programs to determine why they are failing to produce graduates capable of filling those positions.
Would you like me to focus the rewrite on a specific angle, such as the potential impact on university research or the legal questions surrounding a state ban on a federal visa?
