On October 29, 2025, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis criticized the practice of hiring H-1B visa holders—highly skilled foreign workers—at educational institutions. According to Governor DeSantis, this visa program, which brings thousands of highly qualified Indians to the United States, is being abused. He asserted that universities are not producing enough qualified Americans to meet the nation’s workforce needs.
A press release from his office stated that Governor DeSantis has directed the Florida Board of Governors “to crack down on H-1B Visa abuse in higher education.” He further announced that the Florida Department of Governance and Education (DOGE) has partnered with the Federal DOGE, the State University System, and other institutional partners to cancel or repurpose millions of dollars in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)-related grants.
“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,” Governor DeSantis was quoted saying both in the press release and in a post on X. “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.”
Florida is now requiring educational institutions to prioritize American graduates and ensure that taxpayer-funded schools serve the American workforce, rather than being used to import cheap foreign labor. The press release emphasized that H-1B visas are “allegedly intended to hire individuals for a specialty occupation, but many universities and institutions have hired foreign workers for jobs that could easily be filled by qualified Americans.”
Additionally, the press release noted that universities are exempt from federal H-1B visa caps, which enables them to hire foreign labor throughout the year without limitation.
**End to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives**
Governor DeSantis also announced an end to DEI initiatives in Florida’s higher education system. “By working with Federal DOGE, the State University System, and individual institutions, Florida has repurposed or canceled DEI-related grants with total intended amounts of more than $33 million,” the press release stated.
Several grants were cancelled due to their alleged non-compliance with state and federal laws concerning DEI-centric and discriminatory missions. The Governor cited specific examples:
– $1.5 million grant for “Challenging Anti-Black Racism in Civil and Environmental Engineering Curriculum,” which focused on environmental justice and creating equitable and inclusive curricula for civil engineers.
– $1.3 million grant for “Mobilizing Physics Teachers to Promote Inclusive and Communal Classroom Cultures Through Everyday Actions,” aimed at promoting inclusion and equity for women and minority racial groups in classrooms.
In addition to cancellations, some grants were “repurposed” to align with state and federal law. Examples include:
– A $1.5 million grant initially focused on promoting “historically marginalized students” in STEM fields was refocused on supporting students based on financial background rather than race or ethnicity.
– Expansion of a $700,000 National Science Foundation grant, originally exclusive to Black students, to include eligibility for all students regardless of race or background.
Within the Florida College System, Florida DOGE identified over $10.6 million in grants to be repurposed or cancelled. Some examples include:
– $454,000 for a grant targeting “underrepresented populations” in drone work and avionics.
– $750,000 for a grant exclusively available for minorities pursuing STEM degrees.
In a post on X, Governor DeSantis emphasized Florida’s leadership in higher education, stating, “Florida leads the nation in higher education, and thousands of highly qualified Americans graduate from our colleges and universities every year. If any universities are truly struggling to find U.S. citizens to fill their job openings, they ought to evaluate their academic programs to determine why they cannot produce graduates who can be hired for these positions.”
https://newsindiatimes.com/florida-governor-ron-desantis-orders-end-to-h-1b-hiring-in-higher-education-institutions/
