Sheehy Introduces Bill to End H-1B Abuse, Put American Workers First

U.S. SENATE - Today, U.S. Senator Tim Sheehy introduced the End H-1B Abuse Act of 2026 to put hardworking Americans first and protect our national security by rooting out H-1B fraud and strengthening guardrails within the program.

"The H-1B program was created to address workforce shortages for specialized, difficult-to-fill positions - not to displace qualified, hardworking Americans with cheaper, foreign labor. We shouldn't be issuing work permits that make it easier to undercut American workers when we have the talent right here at home," said Senator Sheehy. "My legislation, the End H-1B Abuse Act, restores the program to its original intent and puts American workers first by closing loopholes that incentivize abuse, strengthening guardrails and prioritizing our national security interests."

Background:
The H-1B program was originally intended to provide narrow, short-term work visas allowing American employers to fill specialized positions that are otherwise difficult to staff; however, due to weak oversight and pervasive abuse, the H-1B program now functions as a large-scale labor substitution pipeline that displaces hardworking Americans instead of supplementing them. Additionally, having large numbers of foreign contract workers in sensitive sectors like artificial intelligence and defense-adjacent industries raises serious concerns about data security, insider risk, and foreign influence. In effect, the program now operates less as a safeguard for critical talent needs and more as a mechanism that weakens the domestic workforce while posing new security risks.

The End H-1B Abuse Act is a critical, proactive step to put American workers first, root out entrenched H-1B fraud, and confront the clear national security risks created by a program that has operated for years with inadequate guardrails. This legislation is supported by the Immigration Accountability Project and the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR).

What the bill does:

• Pauses new H-1B visas for three years then restarts the program under far tighter limits and higher standards
• Codifies President Trump's $100,000 fee per H-1B petition
• Permanently replaces the random lottery in statute with a wage-based selection system and bans concurrent employment and third-party staffing-agency models
• Ends "dual intent" for H-1Bs
• Prevents H-class visa holders from bringing dependents
• Bars federal agencies from sponsoring or employing nonimmigrant visa holders
• Eliminates work authorization for foreign students and certain exchange visitors (ending Optional Practical Training-style programs)

Read more on the bill HERE. Read the full text of the bill HERE.