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Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) escalated his higher education overhaul Wednesday, unveiling new measures to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) funding and restrict the use of H-1B visas in the state's public universities. DeSantis Eliminates Millions In DEI Grants, Citing ‘Woke Priorities‘ Speaking at the University of South Florida, DeSantis said his administration has "nixed federal grants that sought to advance woke priorities" and directed the state's Board of Governors to "drop the hammer on the H1B scam." The governor said his education team identified and eliminated or repurposed "tens of millions of dollars in DEI-related projects" across Florida's higher education system. DeSantis said in a post on X, "Whether it's DEI-inspired grants that privilege one race or gender over another, or HR departments that hire foreign H-1B workers when qualified Floridians are rejected, we will not tolerate discrimination against American citizens in our university system." H-1B Visa is a U.S. work visa for skilled professionals in specialized fields like technology, engineering, and science, sponsored by an employer. Florida Targets H-1B Visa Abuse In State Universities An accompanying image shared by DeSantis accused universities of exploiting visa exemptions to hire foreign workers for roles that "could easily be filled by Americans." When a user asked if exceptions would be made for top-tier academics such as Nobel laureates, DeSantis replied, "That would be the O visa, not H1B," distinguishing between visas for extraordinary talent and those for skilled labor. O-1 Visa is a U.S. visa for individuals with extraordinary ability or achievement in fields such as science, arts, business, or athletics. See Also: Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro Blames Trump’s Policies For Rising Costs, Strained Canada Ties Trump Immigration Crackdown Triggers Economic Warnings Earlier this month, a study by the National Foundation for American Policy found that the President Donald Trump administration's strict immigration policies were expected to shrink the U.S. workforce by 15.7 million by 2035. The report projected a $12.1 trillion reduction in GDP, warning that the labor shortfall could strain key industries such as manufacturing and agriculture. Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang assured employees the company would keep sponsoring H-1B visas, pledging to cover Trump's new $100,000 fee and stressing that "the miracle of Nvidia would not be possible without immigration." The Labor Department also warned that reduced migrant labor could disrupt agriculture and drive up food prices, noting that foreign-born workers made up 38% of the sector. Meanwhile, China launched its "K-visa" program to lure foreign STEM professionals without employer sponsorship, a move seen as an effort to rival the U.S. H-1B system and close its tech gap with America. Read More: Jamie Dimon Says Trump's H-1B Move Caught Him ‘Off-Guard,' Backs ‘Merit-Based Immigration'—'I Would Beg The President' Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Photo Courtesy: Andrew Cline on Shutterstock.com
