A bipartisan group of U.S. senators is moving to tighten rules around the hiring of foreign workers, after the White House slapped fees on the next generation of H-1B visa holders.
Lead Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) introduced legislation to reform the H-1B and L-1 visa programs, which allow U.S. employers to bring in high-skilled workers from abroad.
They argue the programs, originally designed to fill gaps in the domestic workforce, have been misused by companies seeking to reduce labor costs. The H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act would tighten rules on employers by raising wage standards, giving the Department of Labor broader investigative powers, and adding new oversight measures.
The proposal also calls for prioritizing visa applications from workers with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.
The reintroduction comes as major technology firms, including Amazon, Google, and Meta, face scrutiny for continuing to file thousands of visa petitions while laying off U.S. employees.
Grassley and Durbin recently sent letters to 10 large employers questioning those practices.
The bill has drawn bipartisan support from Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
This is a breaking news story. Updates to come.