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H-1B visa: Florida gubernatorial hopeful targets foreign workers, threatens firms to hire Americans or ‘face wrath’
James Fishback, Florida's Republican gubernatorial candidate, warns 1,900 employers to fire H-1B workers or face state repercussions if elected.
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Republican gubernatorial candidate James Fishback has intensified his campaign against the H-1B visa program, warning nearly 1,900 Florida employers using foreign workers to replace them with qualified Americans or face what he described as the "ultimate wrath of the state of Florida" if he is elected governor.
In a post on X and a video from a gubernatorial debate hosted by the PBD Podcast in Fort Lauderdale, Fishback addressed businesses employing H-1B workers directly.
"To the 1,900 employers in Florida right now who are using H-1B foreign labor, I am warning you once and for all, fire your foreign workers, hire back qualified Floridians, or you will face the ultimate wrath of the state of Florida," Fishback wrote on X while repeating the same message during the debate.
The remarks are the latest in a series of proposals from Fishback, who is seeking the Republican nomination for Florida governor in 2026 on a platform centered on tighter immigration policies and prioritizing American workers.
Hardline stand on H-1B visas
Fishback has repeatedly called for dismantling the H-1B program in Florida. In earlier campaign statements, he pledged to remove H-1B visa holders employed by state agencies, cancel state contracts awarded to companies that rely on H-1B workers instead of what he describes as "qualified Floridians," and impose steep financial penalties on businesses hiring foreign professionals.
His latest warning broadens that message to private employers, signaling a tougher stance on companies that recruit skilled foreign workers under the federal visa program.
The H-1B visa allows US employers to hire foreign professionals in specialty occupations requiring specialized knowledge, typically in sectors such as technology, engineering, healthcare and finance. The program has long been relied upon by American companies facing shortages of skilled workers, while critics argue it can be used to replace or undercut domestic employees.
Mixed reaction online
Fishback's comments quickly sparked debate on social media.
Supporters praised his pledge to prioritize American workers, with some users calling for similar measures across other states. Others questioned whether a state governor would have the legal authority to compel private companies to dismiss H-1B employees or interfere with a federal immigration program.
Some critics also argued that industries dependent on highly skilled workers could struggle to replace foreign professionals if restrictions were imposed.
Although governors have limited authority over federal immigration policy, Fishback has indicated that, if elected, he would use state contracts, procurement rules and other state powers to discourage employers from hiring H-1B workers.
The comments come amid an increasingly heated political debate over skilled immigration in the United States, with several Republican leaders advocating stricter controls on employment-based visas while arguing that American workers should be given hiring preference.
