Politics
Vance Defends H‑1B Reforms, Emphasizing Quality Over Replacement
Vice President JD Vance defended the Trump administration’s reforms to the H‑1B visa program on the All‑In Podcast, arguing that the system should not be used to replace American workers with low‑wage foreign employees. He said the administration pursued executive and administrative changes because Congress lacked the political will to pass new legislation. Vance explained that the reforms aim to ensure that companies seeking H‑1B visas hire individuals who are “actual geniuses” and who can make a substantial contribution to the technology sector and the broader U.S. economy. He highlighted a $100,000 fee introduced by the administration and measures being considered to prevent companies from using H‑1B workers while simultaneously laying off American employees. Vance criticized companies that claim a shortage of workers after having recently laid off large numbers of U.S. workers, stating that such companies should not turn to foreign workers to replace those positions. He reiterated that the H‑1B program should enrich the American economy, not replace American workers with low‑wage foreigners. Vance, raised in Middletown, Ohio, and married to Indian‑origin lawyer Usha Chilukuri Vance, has four children.