White House Targets Microsoft, Immigrant Workers Face New Barriers in Green-Card Program
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The administration has barred Microsoft from a program aiding H-1B visa holders seeking green cards, using unsubstantiated claims of violations as justification.
In a move that underscores the administration's hostility toward immigrant workers and the tech sector, the White House announced Microsoft’s suspension from a program designed to help H-1B visa holders apply for permanent residency. Vice President JD Vance, at a news conference, accused Microsoft of replacing laid-off employees with foreign workers at a ratio of 1.5 to 1—a claim that echoes anti-immigrant rhetoric and scapegoats both the company and skilled migrants.
This decision is the latest attack on the H-1B system, a program meant to fill high-skill positions that the U.S. labor market cannot supply. Instead of addressing systemic issues or investing in worker protections, the administration continues to vilify tech firms and immigrants, particularly those from India, who make up the majority of H-1B beneficiaries.
Microsoft has not yet responded to requests for comment, but the chilling effect on the tech industry and immigrant communities is clear.
The announcement follows a Department of Homeland Security proposal to slap a punitive $70,000 fee on schools for each international student in Optional Practical Training—another measure designed to restrict opportunities for global talent. Vance further escalated the crackdown by naming nine universities for review over alleged misuse of the J-1 exchange-visitor program, perpetuating a climate of suspicion and xenophobia.