Are American workers being replaced? Inside the H-1B visa controversy

By Fox News · Fox News

Following months of controversy, President Donald Trump issued a proclamation in September decrying the systemic abuse of the H-1B visa program, which he said is fueling the "large-scale replacement of American workers" that "has undermined both our economic and national security." To address this, Trump instituted a $100,000 fee for companies seeking to obtain an H-1B visa, a move that has been widely criticized by business leaders, especially in the tech industry . Debate over the program has split both the American public and the GOP, with one side saying the visa holders are poaching American jobs and the other saying it is vital to U.S. competitiveness. So, what are H-1B visas , and why have they become a political flashpoint? TRUMP ADMIN REVEALS OVER 100 INVESTIGATIONS INTO H-1B ABUSES AS IT PLEDGES 'EVERY RESOURCE' TO PROTECT US JOBS An H-1B visa is a non-immigrant work visa that allows companies in the U.S. to hire highly-skilled foreign workers in specialty occupations for an initial period of three years, which can be extended to six years. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website states that the visas are meant for individuals of "exceptional merit and ability." Individuals must have at least a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field. By far the industry most heavily utilizing H-1B visas is the tech industry, which accounts for roughly 60% to 70% of all the new applications in recent years. Other top industries include consulting and professional services, engineering and manufacturing, healthcare and medical research and higher education. DESANTIS SAYS HE WON’T TOLERATE H-1B VISA ‘ABUSE' IN FLORIDA UNIVERSITIES There is no official figure for the number of people currently holding H-1B visas. There is a yearly cap of 65,000 people who can obtain H-1B visas. The program allows for an additional 20,000 individuals holding master’s degrees or above. Notably, most universities and non-profit research organizations are cap-exempt, further increasi…