H-1B Visa Hiring Banned in Florida? Ron DeSantis Urges to Hire Americans

As an H-1B worker, you won’t get a job in Florida. Yes, you heard it right, as in a major offensive against immigrants, Florida has banned H-1B visa hiring. This transpired after Governor Ron DeSantis urged the state universities to exclusively hire only the Americans.

So, what exactly led to such a massive setback? As an EB-1A green card consultancy and thought leader in the sphere of U.S. immigration, we are covering all the noise and news that is happening in the current volatile visa landscape. Tune in to know how this massive announcement came to be.

What did Governor Ron DeSantis state?

According to news reported by several outlets, Governor Ron DeSantis has commented in the following terms: "Universities across the country are importing foreign workers on H-1B visas instead of hiring Americans who are qualified and available to do the job. We will not tolerate H-1B abuse in Florida institutions. That’s why I have directed the Florida Board of Governors to end this practice."

He complemented his statement with the following as well: “Florida leads the nation in higher education, and thousands of highly qualified Americans graduate from our colleges and universities every year.”

If the universities can’t find suitable US candidates

The preceding remarks open up yet another question: what if the university fails to find a national talent to fill the job openings? If that is the case, the view of Ron DeSantis is clear:

“They ought to evaluate their academic programs to determine why they cannot produce graduates who can be hired for these positions.”

Which jobs are likely to be affected by the Florida H-1B visa freeze?

DeSantis has explicitly mentioned several examples of H-1B positions at Florida Universities, which, according to the Business Standard, include computer application coordinators, assistant professors, and public policy faculty from China or even an assistant swim coach from Spain. To quote him:

“Why do we need to bring someone from China to talk about public policy… Especially when you see in the news all these people being laid off by Amazon, UPS, all these companies, we need to make sure our citizens here in Florida are first in line for job opportunities.”

The repurposing of the DEI-related fund

Florida has redirected millions of dollars from projects originally focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, saying the move ensures compliance with state and federal laws and proper use of taxpayer money.

According to a report by Mint, one example is a $1.5 million grant that was previously meant to support “historically marginalized students” in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). That grant will now prioritize students based on financial need rather than race or ethnicity.

Governor Ron DeSantis also announced that Florida’s Department of Education (DOE) has worked with the Federal Department of Education, the State University System, and other partners to either cancel or redirect DEI-related grants. Together, they have repurposed or canceled programs worth more than $33 million, according to reports from ANI.

Officials said many of these grants were discontinued due to what they called “noncompliance” with laws that prohibit discrimination or funding programs focused solely on identity-based initiatives.

Ron DeSantis argues that both DEI grants and H-1B hiring practices involve how taxpayer-funded institutions (especially universities) choose who gets opportunities (in jobs or grants). In this view, redirecting DEI funds and limiting H-1B hiring are both part of a broader effort to prioritise domestic workers or address perceived “foreign labour” or “identity-based” preferences in institutions funded by the public.

For more H-1B visa news and all the latest updates on the U.S. visa landscape, stay tuned to GCEB1. We are keeping up constant vigilance to record every moment of the U.S. visa landscape.