DeSantis Orders Universities to End H‑1B Hiring

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis directed the state Board of Governors to end the use of H‑1B visas at public universities, saying taxpayer‑funded schools should prioritize American and Florida graduates and calling H‑1B hiring “cheap labor” and a “scam.” He cited specific hires — including a public‑policy professor from China, a psychologist from the U.K. and an assistant swim coach from Spain — and urged the system to “pull the plug” ahead of the Board’s meeting. Federal data show the University of Florida employs about 156 people on H‑1B visas and Florida has thousands of H‑1B holders statewide, while Pew Research notes most H‑1B workers are in tech and only a small share work in education. University leaders and faculty criticized the order as an intrusion on institutional autonomy and warned that foreign‑trained candidates are sometimes the best hires; UF’s interim president called the issue “complex.” Legal and practical questions remain because visas are federally regulated and states lack authority to revoke them, and it is unclear how the directive would affect current visa holders. The governor’s office said it would enforce the directive and review hiring and related spending amid broader federal H‑1B changes, including a recently announced $100,000 fee and proposed lottery reforms.