AZ Rep Crane Introduces Bill to ‘Pause and Reform the Broken H-1B Visa Process’

Congressman Eli Crane (R-AZ-02) has introduced legislation that would slam the brakes on the much-abused H-1B visa program, imposing a full three-year moratorium on new issuances while Congress enacts sweeping reforms designed to end the displacement of American workers by cheaper foreign labor. 

The bill, H.R. 8443, titled the End H-1B Visa Abuse Act of 2026, directly addresses longstanding complaints from tech workers, engineers, and middle-class families in high-tech states like California who have watched corporations prioritize profit margins over hiring qualified U.S. citizens. 

Original cosponsors include Reps. Brian Babin (R-TX), Brandon Gill (R-TX), Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Wesley Hunt (R-TX), Tom McClintock (R-CA), Keith Self (R-TX), and Andy Ogles (R-TN). McClintock’s support is particularly noteworthy for California readers: the Golden State receives the lion’s share of H-1B visas in the nation, making his backing a direct stand for California workers who have borne the brunt of program abuse. 

Approximately 700,000 people currently live and work in the U.S. in H-1B status, according to a National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) analysis.

Crane’s bill is not a minor tweak. After the three-year pause, it would slash the annual H-1B cap from 65,000 (plus 20,000 advanced-degree exemptions) to just 25,000, eliminate exemptions, replace the random lottery with a wage-based selection system that prioritizes higher-paid applicants, and require employers to certify they cannot find qualified American workers and have conducted no recent layoffs. 

Additional reforms include a $200,000 minimum annual wage for H-1B hires, a ban on multiple jobs or third-party staffing agencies using the visas, prohibition on bringing H-4 dependents into the country, an end to Optional Practical Training (OPT) for foreign students, and strict limits preventing H-1B holders from adjusting to permanent residency or changing status without first leaving the U.S. Federal agencies would also be barred from sponsoring or employing nonimmigrant workers. 

“The federal government should work for hardworking citizens, not the profit margins of massive corporations,” Crane stated. “We owe it to the American people to prevent the broken H-1B system from boxing them out of jobs they are qualified to perform. The End H-1B Visa Abuse Act of 2026 would provide greater access to employment, strengthen protocols in the visa process, and prioritize the livelihoods of Americans.” 

Rep. Gosar, another Arizona cosponsor, was blunt: “The H-1B program has been hijacked to replace American workers with cheaper foreign labor — plain and simple. This bill slams the brakes on a system that’s rigged against our own people and puts American jobs first again.” 

California’s Massive H-1B Footprint

Publicly available USCIS data underscores why this bill matters deeply to the Golden State. California consistently leads the nation in H-1B approvals. In fiscal year 2025, California accounted for 21,559 approved H-1B petitions for initial employment — far outpacing Texas (12,613) and every other state. 

Over the past decade, California employers have filed well over 100,000 Labor Condition Applications (LCAs) annually in recent years, with Silicon Valley metro areas alone receiving tens of thousands of approvals. Arizona, by contrast, sees significantly lower usage, with roughly 10,000 LCAs in comparable periods, reflecting its smaller tech footprint outside of certain defense and semiconductor sectors. 

These numbers are not abstract. California’s tech giants have faced repeated accusations of using H-1B visas to displace U.S. workers during layoffs — a pattern the California Globe has documented for years. Critics maintain that the program, originally intended as a temporary bridge for genuine labor shortages, has morphed into a cost-cutting tool that suppresses wages and sidelines American STEM graduates and experienced professionals,

In a 2020 interview with then-Rep. Darrell Issa, the Globe highlighted Trump-era attempts to rein in H-1B abuses and the program’s heavy exploitation by the technology industry. Issa noted at the time that exemptions and loopholes allowed companies to bypass the “qualified U.S. workers unavailable” standard, a criticism echoed in Crane’s bill. 

President Trump has already taken steps to address H-1B misuse, including a $100,000 entry fee for new recipients last September and regulatory shifts toward wage- and skill-based selection. Yet data shows the program remains bloated, with hundreds of thousands of registrations still flooding the system despite caps. Crane’s legislation would force a deliberate reset.

The bill has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee. With strong Republican backing and growing public frustration over job outsourcing, the End H-1B Visa Abuse Act of 2026 could mark a turning point in restoring fairness to America’s high-tech workforce — starting right here in California.