theTripurapost News Images

Indian IT Workers Face Uncertainty as US Eyes H-1B End

  • By Thetripurapost Desk, Washington
  • Feb 10, 2026
  • 682

A bill seeking to completely eliminate the H-1B visa program has been introduced in the United States Congress, raising serious concerns for Indian IT and technology professionals.
The legislation, titled the Ending Exploitative Imported Labor Exemptions Act (EXILE Act), was introduced on Monday (local time) by Republican Congressman Greg Steube of Florida. The bill proposes amendments to the Immigration and Nationality Act to terminate the H-1B visa program by 2027.


The move comes amid heightened scrutiny and tighter rules for H-1B and dependent H-4 visas. If enacted, the bill would have its largest impact on Indian nationals, who form the majority of H-1B visa holders.


Allegations of Job Losses


Congressman Steube has alleged that the H-1B visa program is being misused by corporations, leading to the displacement of American workers, particularly young professionals. He argued that the program benefits multinational companies and foreign competitors at the cost of the domestic workforce.


Supporters of the bill claim that American workers have lost jobs due to large-scale H-1B hiring. One such claim cites that Microsoft laid off over 16,000 employees in 2025, while more than 9,000 H-1B visas were approved during the same period.


Impact on Indian Professionals
According to official estimates referenced by supporters of the bill, Indians account for over 70% of H-1B visa recipients, many of them young professionals working in the IT and technology sectors. As a result, any move to abolish the program could significantly disrupt Indian tech migration to the US.


Legislative Process


The bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the US Congress. It has not yet been debated, and no voting timeline has been announced.
The proposal will first be sent to the relevant House committee, which will decide whether to hold hearings. If approved, it will proceed to a full House debate and vote. Passage in the House would send the bill to the Senate, followed by a similar process. The bill would become law only after approval by both chambers and the President’s signature.


About Greg Steube


Greg Steube has represented Florida’s 17th Congressional District since January 2019. In the current 119th Congress (2025–26), he has introduced several high-profile bills, including proposals related to transgender sports participation, banning weather modification, and renaming the Washington Metro Authority.


He serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (through January 2025). Before politics, Steube served in the US Army from 2004 to 2008 and was deployed to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.


Growing Visa Scrutiny


The US State Department has reportedly increased scrutiny of H-1B and H-4 visas since December 15, including reviews of applicants’ social media profiles. Following this, visa interviews in India have been postponed, leaving many applicants stranded after traveling for visa stamping.


The Trump administration had earlier increased H-1B visa fees sharply in 2019, further raising the financial burden on applicants, according to claims cited by critics of the program.