Steve Cortes, president of the League of American Workers, said on May 11 that high salary requirements for work visas prioritize American workers and ensure that only top talent is brought to the United States. Cortes addressed media coverage of the Trump administration’s proposal to raise prevailing wage requirements for H-1B visas in the skilled labor market.
The topic has drawn attention as policymakers debate how visa programs affect domestic employment and wages. According to his post on X, Cortes commented on a Bloomberg article detailing potential salary increases for H-1B visas under the Trump administration. The statement was made as part of broader discussions on visa programs and their impact on American workers, according to X.
The U.S. Department of Labor proposed changes to prevailing wage levels for H-1B visas to better protect wages and job opportunities for American workers. The rule would raise minimum wage floors for foreign workers in specialty occupations by 21 to 33 percent. This effort targets perceived abuses where employers use the program to undercut domestic labor costs, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Top H-1B employers have sponsored large numbers of foreign workers even as they conducted major layoffs of U.S. staff. The top 30 such employers brought in 34,000 new H-1B workers in 2022 while laying off at least 85,000 employees. The program has faced scrutiny for its effects on domestic employment in tech and other sectors, according to the Economic Policy Institute.
Cortes founded the League of American Workers to champion pro-worker economic policies. The group focuses on issues affecting American employees and promotes patriotic approaches to labor and immigration. Cortes has a background as a former financial strategist and Trump campaign adviser, according to the League of American Workers.
