Significant reforms to the United States immigration policy have been proposed, with a focus on tightening visa regulations. Jessica M. Vaughan from the Centre for Immigration Studies presented key recommendations to the US House Committee reviewing Immigration Enforcement Reform in America.
Among the major proposals is a revision of the H-1B visa duration, currently issued for three years to foreign professionals working in American companies. Vaughan suggested reducing this period to two years, with a maximum extension of up to four years if required. Additionally, she recommended discontinuing the automatic extension of H-1B visas for applicants awaiting Green Card approval and limiting the total number of H-1B visas to 75,000 annually.
Further reforms were suggested for student visas (F-1, M-1), including implementing a mandatory commitment from international students to return to their home countries upon completing their studies. Vaughan argued that granting work visas to foreign professionals has led to rising unemployment among American citizens and proposed banning staffing agencies from sponsoring such visas.
Highlighting concerns over visa overstays, Vaughan stated that many individuals entering the US on student and exchange visas remain in the country unlawfully after their visas expire. In 2023 alone, an estimated 7,000 Indian nationals were reported to have overstayed, followed by more than 2,000 individuals each from Brazil, China, and Colombia.
The proposed reforms aim to strengthen immigration enforcement while addressing concerns over job security and legal residency in the United States.
