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Hyderabad: US Senator Eric Schmitt has criticised employment and student visa programs such as H-1B, L-1, F-1, and OPT. He claimed that they are harming American workers and reducing job opportunities in the country.

In a lengthy post shared on X, Schmitt blamed what he called a “Visa Cartel” for replacing US workers with cheaper foreign labour. He alleged that large technology companies were laying off American employees while continuing to seek thousands of H-1B visa workers.

‘Visa temple’ in Hyderabad, claims US Senator

In his criticism, the senator also mentioned Hyderabad. He wrote, “The “Visa Cartel” has its own “Visa Temple” in Hyderabad, which sees thousands of Indians circling altars and getting passports blessed for U.S. work visas.”

Schmitt described the F-1 student visa program as a “silent job killer” and alleged that foreign students receive work opportunities that affect American graduates looking for jobs.

According to him, many international students later move into H-1B visa jobs and later apply for green cards.

Interview questions

The senator also referred to reports alleging that some Indian visa holders shared confidential interview questions with applicants from India. He claimed that such practices were affecting fairness in recruitment and hiring systems.

Schmitt further alleged that certain universities were showing preference toward Indian-origin candidates during hiring and promotion processes. He cited a lawsuit involving Southern Methodist University.

The remarks come amid a broader immigration crackdown under the administration of Donald Trump. Since returning to office, Trump has pushed several “America First” immigration policies and supported stricter controls on both legal and illegal immigration.

Last year, the Trump administration also increased H-1B visa fees and signalled plans for additional restrictions on high-skilled immigration programs in the United States.