A West Virginia congressman, Rep. Riley Moore, has publicly criticized the H-1B visa program, describing it as a "scam" that has long disadvantaged American workers. Speaking to Fox News Digital on July 15, 2026, Moore revealed a growing movement among Republican lawmakers seeking to abolish the program entirely.

Moore argued that the outsourcing of manufacturing jobs overseas was followed by a push for Americans to "learn how to code," only for those coding jobs to now be filled by H-1B visa workers. "So when is the American worker actually going to get a win here?" he questioned.

He lamented that despite young Americans pursuing higher education and trade skills, they are being displaced by lower-skilled, lower-paid H-1B visa holders. Many of these young people reportedly end up unemployed or in low-wage jobs, burdened with significant debt.

Moore also challenged the notion that H-1B workers are more skilled than American workers, calling it a "complete fallacy," and stated the primary reason for hiring visa workers is their willingness to accept lower pay. He further criticized the program as not reflecting free market capitalism, since the government controls visa issuance levels.

The controversy comes amid reports of a U.S. brand firing 1,600 employees after securing thousands of foreign worker visas, with rallies in places like Oakland County, Michigan, advocating for stricter immigration verification for government contractors.

Sources