US' new bill that ends work visa! Lawmaker proposes ending H-1B visa by 2027; what is EXILE Act all about
If passed, the bill would reduce the number of H-1B visas to zero starting in 2027 and onwards, effectively ending the work visa route
- Feb 11, 2026,
- Updated Feb 11, 2026 8:08 AM IST
A fresh legislative push to dismantle the H-1B visa system has surfaced in the US Congress, with Republican Representative Greg Steube introducing a bill that seeks to end the programme entirely.
Steube filed the Ending Exploitative Imported Labour Exemptions (EXILE) Act on Monday (US time). The proposed law aims to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act and bring the H-1B visa programme to a complete halt.
What the EXILE Act proposes
According to a press release from Steube’s office, the EXILE Act would amend Section 214(g)(1)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the H-1B programme.
If passed, the bill would reduce the number of H-1B visas to zero starting in 2027 and onward, effectively ending the work visa route.
The press release states the legislation seeks to address concerns that “prioritising foreign labour over the well-being and prosperity of American citizens undermines our values and national interests.”
Why Steube says the programme should end
Steube, who represents Florida’s 17th congressional district and has served in Congress since 2019, announced the move on X, writing: “Today I am filing legislation to end the H-1B visa programme.”
He added, “American workers have been ripped off by the corrupt H-1B visa program for far too long. Corporations have repeatedly abused this system to help their bottom line by importing cheaper foreign labour, which has suppressed wages and left millions of Americans locked out of good-paying jobs.”
In support of the proposal, Steube cited several cases in which he alleges American workers were disadvantaged.
He stated, “The H-1B visa program has prevented more than 10,000 US physicians from accessing residency programs by facilitating the arrival of more than 5,000 foreign-born doctors.”
His press release further claimed, “More than 16,000 Microsoft employees were displaced following the approval of more than 9,000 H-1B visas in 2025.” It also alleged, “Disney laid off 250 employees in 2015, only to replace them with foreign workers brought in via the H-1B visa.” Another example cited was that “in 2014, Southern California Edison fired 540 workers. Their replacements were brought in from two Indian outsourcing firms that utilised the H-1B visa program.”
The H-1B debate and prior attempts
The H-1B visa allows US employers to hire highly specialised foreign professionals, particularly in sectors such as technology, healthcare and education, to address skill shortages.
Steube’s move follows an earlier proposal by former Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who, before resigning from Georgia’s 14th Congressional District, introduced the End H-1B Now Act. Her bill similarly sought to terminate the programme, while allowing a temporary exemption for 10,000 medical professionals over 10 years.
A fresh legislative push to dismantle the H-1B visa system has surfaced in the US Congress, with Republican Representative Greg Steube introducing a bill that seeks to end the programme entirely.
Steube filed the Ending Exploitative Imported Labour Exemptions (EXILE) Act on Monday (US time). The proposed law aims to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act and bring the H-1B visa programme to a complete halt.
What the EXILE Act proposes
According to a press release from Steube’s office, the EXILE Act would amend Section 214(g)(1)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the H-1B programme.
If passed, the bill would reduce the number of H-1B visas to zero starting in 2027 and onward, effectively ending the work visa route.
The press release states the legislation seeks to address concerns that “prioritising foreign labour over the well-being and prosperity of American citizens undermines our values and national interests.”
Why Steube says the programme should end
Steube, who represents Florida’s 17th congressional district and has served in Congress since 2019, announced the move on X, writing: “Today I am filing legislation to end the H-1B visa programme.”
He added, “American workers have been ripped off by the corrupt H-1B visa program for far too long. Corporations have repeatedly abused this system to help their bottom line by importing cheaper foreign labour, which has suppressed wages and left millions of Americans locked out of good-paying jobs.”
In support of the proposal, Steube cited several cases in which he alleges American workers were disadvantaged.
He stated, “The H-1B visa program has prevented more than 10,000 US physicians from accessing residency programs by facilitating the arrival of more than 5,000 foreign-born doctors.”
His press release further claimed, “More than 16,000 Microsoft employees were displaced following the approval of more than 9,000 H-1B visas in 2025.” It also alleged, “Disney laid off 250 employees in 2015, only to replace them with foreign workers brought in via the H-1B visa.” Another example cited was that “in 2014, Southern California Edison fired 540 workers. Their replacements were brought in from two Indian outsourcing firms that utilised the H-1B visa program.”
The H-1B debate and prior attempts
The H-1B visa allows US employers to hire highly specialised foreign professionals, particularly in sectors such as technology, healthcare and education, to address skill shortages.
Steube’s move follows an earlier proposal by former Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who, before resigning from Georgia’s 14th Congressional District, introduced the End H-1B Now Act. Her bill similarly sought to terminate the programme, while allowing a temporary exemption for 10,000 medical professionals over 10 years.