Nalin Haley, the son of former US ambassador Nikki Haley, took the stage at a Washington event on Thursday, demanding that the H‑1B visa program be shut down immediately and declaring that immigration policy must be “America for Americans.” He added that illegal and legal immigration were linked to the affordability crisis and that the department should deport “illegals” and “those who hate America.”
His argument was bolstered by an Insider Wire analysis that found states with higher ICE deportation rates experienced the steepest rent declines, a trend the administration has echoed with its own data. The report suggests that the presence of migrants pushes rents up, and once they are removed, rent stabilization follows.
Vice President and Labor Secretary J.D. Vance, speaking in a press briefing, said the administration had seen fraud in the H‑1B system and that Congress is unlikely to change the law. He warned that companies that replace American workers with lower‑wage foreign workers are going to be scrutinized and that firms will need to prove that new hires are “geniuses” who enrich the tech ecosystem.
To curb the practice, the Biden team plans to impose a $100,000 fee on new H‑1B petitions and will investigate whether firms that have laid off thousands of Americans are seeking foreign talent to fill the void. The policy would be framed as an administrative measure rather than a legal overhaul, according to officials.
The administration’s proposals will be tabled before a House immigration subcommittee next month, where lawmakers are expected to weigh the cost of the fee against the economic impact of foreign labor. Critics say the policy could hurt small businesses that rely on skilled overseas talent, while supporters argue it protects American workers.