WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s administration announced Thursday it was suspending Microsoft and several other firms from a program allowing foreign workers to apply for green cards as it also lashed out at universities that bring international students to the U.S. on exchange programs.
The announcement by Vice President JD Vance marks the latest swing from the Trump administration at employers and universities that welcome foreign students and workers into the country. Such programs have frequently been targeted by some Trump supporters who argue they undercut American students and workers.
Vance accused Microsoft of abusing the H-1B visa system, saying, “There has been no company in the United States, unfortunately, that has used this system more than Microsoft.” He claimed firms advertise jobs in small-town newspapers with little response, then use that lack of response to replace American workers with “foreign indentured servants.”
Microsoft, based in Redmond, Washington, said it looks forward to “providing the Administration with additional information.” Of approximately 6,000 H-1B visa applications it submitted in the last fiscal year, 80% were to extend or change the status of existing employees. The company added that it only files H-1B petitions for those who meet rigorous standards.
Source: Hacker News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing