Washington, Oct 2026 : US Vice President JD Vance has warned American corporations against exploiting visa programmes to replace domestic employees with lower-cost foreign workers, asserting that the Trump administration would not tolerate practices that threaten jobs and wages for US citizens.
Addressing a Republican campaign rally in Hendersonville, North Carolina, on Monday, Vance said the administration was committed to preventing companies from misusing employment-based immigration programmes to cut labour costs at the expense of American workers.
“One of the things I'm proudest of is that we will never allow major corporations to abuse the visa programs and replace hard-working Americans in North Carolina with what amounts to indentured servitude,” Vance said.
His remarks come amid an ongoing national debate over employment-based immigration, particularly the H-1B visa programme, which allows US employers to recruit foreign professionals for specialised occupations.
Vance did not specifically name the H-1B programme during his speech or announce any fresh restrictions. However, his comments reinforced the administration's broader argument that immigration policies should protect domestic employment opportunities and prevent employers from using foreign recruitment to suppress wages.
“American jobs ought to go to American citizens, not to people who don't have a legal right to be here,” he told the gathering.
The vice president framed the issue as part of the administration's wider immigration and economic agenda, emphasising the distinction between lawful employment and what it considers the misuse of visa programmes by businesses.
The H-1B system permits US companies to hire foreign workers temporarily in specialised fields requiring advanced knowledge and qualifications, including information technology, engineering, medicine and scientific research. Visa holders are legally authorised to work for sponsoring employers, subject to programme requirements.
Vance's criticism centred on companies he accused of replacing American employees with foreign labour. He did not propose a specific policy change affecting existing visa holders or outline new rules for employers.
The vice president also used the rally to highlight the administration's immigration enforcement record. He claimed that illegal border crossings had fallen sharply and said the United States had achieved “net negative migration for the first time in 50 years”, crediting tougher enforcement measures.
Vance further criticised previous trade and immigration policies, arguing that they had weakened manufacturing communities in North Carolina and elsewhere in the country. He linked stricter immigration enforcement with efforts to rebuild domestic industrial capacity, safeguard employment and improve wages.
The remarks came as Vance campaigned for Republican candidates ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. The Hendersonville rally featured several Republican contenders, including Senate candidate Michael Whatley, as the party sought to rally voters around immigration, employment and economic concerns.
Vance's comments signal that protecting American workers remains a central theme in the administration's political messaging. However, his speech did not establish any new visa restrictions, leaving the existing debate over employment-based immigration and corporate hiring practices unresolved.
