Washington, D.C.— Florida Republican Congressman Greg Steube introduced sweeping legislation on Monday to completely eliminate the H-1B visa program, which allows American companies to hire foreign professionals in specialized roles. The Ending Exploitative Imported Labor Exemptions Act, or EXILE Act, directly targets a system that has become increasingly controversial amid debates over American worker displacement.
If passed, the bill would set H-1B visa numbers to zero beginning in fiscal year 2027, effectively shutting down the program permanently.
Key Facts
• Rep. Greg Steube introduced the EXILE Act on February 10, 2026, targeting Section 214(g)(1)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act
• The bill would reduce H-1B visa allocations to zero starting fiscal year 2027 and maintain zero visas in all subsequent years
• Over 80 percent of H-1B visa recipients are Indian and Chinese nationals, according to government data cited in the legislation
Steube's office released data claiming the H-1B program has systematically disadvantaged American workers across multiple sectors. The congressman cited examples including Microsoft, where he claims more than 16,000 employees were displaced following approval of over 9,000 H-1B visas in 2025.
Another case highlighted FedEx, where the bill's authors state the company's use of H-1B workers resulted in shuttering over 100 facilities across the United States. Healthcare represents another critical battleground, with the legislation asserting that the H-1B program prevented more than 10,000 U.S.-trained physicians from accessing residency slots by facilitating entry of over 5,000 foreign-born doctors.
The entertainment industry also featured in Steube's argument, with Disney cited as laying off 250 employees in 2015 and replacing them with foreign H-1B workers. Similarly, Southern California Edison fired 540 workers in 2014, the release states, with replacements brought from Indian outsourcing firms utilizing the H-1B visa program.
Steube emphasized protecting American economic opportunity, stating that corporations have
The congressman positioned the EXILE Act as fundamentally challenging the current immigration framework that he argues prioritizes corporate interests over worker welfare.
Broader implications of this legislation extend beyond individual job sectors into national competitiveness debates. Technology companies and other industries argue H-1B workers fill critical skill gaps, but critics contend the program enables wage suppression and workforce replacement.
This competing vision of immigration policy will likely define Congressional immigration discussions throughout 2026.
The legislation comes as H-1B reform already reshapes hiring practices, with new wage-weighted selection systems and supplemental fees fundamentally changing how employers approach visa applications for fiscal year 2027. The EXILE Act represents a more aggressive intervention than existing regulatory changes, seeking complete program elimination rather than adjustment.
Steube declared in his introduction of the legislation.
The bill's path forward remains uncertain, as immigration policy typically generates divided responses across both chambers of Congress. However, growing vocal opposition to H-1B expansion on social media and among certain political constituencies suggests continued legislative pressure on the visa program throughout the coming months.
Indian and Pakistani tech professionals, who comprise the majority of H-1B beneficiaries, now face heightened uncertainty regarding their career pathways in the United States.
Do You Know?
The H-1B visa program was originally designed in 1990 with an annual cap of 65,000 visas, but Congress added an additional 20,000 visa allocation in 2004 specifically for individuals with advanced U.S. degrees. Today, demand for these visas consistently exceeds supply by a factor of three, creating a competitive lottery system that determines which beneficiaries receive approved status each fiscal year.
Key Terms
• H-1B Visa: A U.S. work visa allowing American companies to employ foreign professionals in specialized occupations requiring bachelor's degrees or equivalent experience, typically granted for three years and extendable to six years
• EXILE Act: Formally known as the Ending Exploitative Imported Labor Exemptions Act, proposed legislation that would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the H-1B visa program entirely
• Specialty Occupation: Jobs requiring specialized skills and knowledge that employers claim cannot be easily filled by American workers, the justification for H-1B visa sponsorship
• Cap-Subject: The classification for H-1B petitions subject to annual numerical limits, creating the competitive lottery system that determines visa approval
Image from Wikimedia Commons