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After H‑1B Defense, Trump Faces MAGA Backlash as DeSantis Allies Push Legislation

The clash highlights a GOP split over skilled visas, giving Democrats an opening.

Overview

  • In a Fox interview, President Trump said the U.S. lacks “certain talents” and defended bringing in some H‑1B workers despite Laura Ingraham’s pushback.
  • Right‑wing influencers and media figures, including Steve Bannon, Benny Johnson and Matt Walsh, called the H‑1B program a scam and urged abolishing it.
  • Ron DeSantis and allies pressed Republicans in Congress to move beyond rhetoric, with DeSantis saying the GOP majority could vote to eliminate H‑1B.
  • Republican lawmakers escalated moves against the program, with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene announcing a bill to phase it out as others such as Sen. Jim Banks criticized it.
  • Context from recent policy and scrutiny remains relevant, including a new $100,000 fee on certain H‑1B applications and Democratic pressure on corporate use of the visas, such as Senate Judiciary Democrats’ letter to Amazon.