Vance Warns American Firms Against Visa Abuse, Says US Jobs Should Go To Citizens
WASHINGTON– Vice President JD Vance has warned American corporations against misusing visa programmes to replace domestic workers with cheaper foreign labour, saying the Trump administration would not tolerate practices that undermine employment opportunities for American citizens.
Speaking at a Republican campaign rally in Hendersonville, North Carolina, on Monday, Vance said the administration was determined to prevent companies from exploiting immigration programmes to cut labour costs at the expense of American workers.
“One of the things I’m proudest of is that we will never allow major corporations to abuse the visa programs and replace hard-working Americans in North Carolina with what amounts to indentured servitude,” Vance said.
His remarks come amid an intensifying national debate over employment-based immigration, particularly the H-1B visa programme, which allows US employers to hire foreign professionals for specialised occupations.
Vance did not specifically mention H-1B visas during his North Carolina address, nor did he announce any new restrictions on the programme. However, his comments reinforced the administration’s stated position that employment-based immigration should not be used to displace American workers or put downward pressure on wages.
“American jobs ought to go to American citizens, not to people who don’t have a legal right to be here,” he told the gathering.
The Vice President’s remarks focused on what he described as the misuse of visa programmes by employers, rather than any announced change to the legal status of existing visa holders.
The H-1B programme permits US companies to employ foreign workers temporarily in specialised fields requiring advanced knowledge and qualifications, including information technology, engineering, medicine and scientific research. Visa holders are authorised to work under the programme’s applicable rules and conditions.
Vance also addressed the broader immigration debate, claiming that the administration had sharply reduced illegal border crossings and reversed migration trends.
He said the administration had achieved “net negative migration for the first time in 50 years”, attributing the development to stricter immigration enforcement.
The claim formed part of his broader argument that immigration policy should prioritise American workers and communities. Vance also criticised previous trade and immigration policies, arguing that they had harmed manufacturing communities in North Carolina and other parts of the country.
He linked immigration enforcement to the administration’s wider economic agenda, which emphasises protecting domestic employment, rebuilding industrial capacity and improving wages.
The remarks came as Vance campaigned for Republican candidates ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
The rally featured several Republican candidates, including Senate candidate Michael Whatley, as the party sought to mobilise voters around immigration, jobs and economic concerns. (Source: IANS)
