Why America Must Put Citizens First Over H-1B Visas
Happy Labor Day, and may we always protect the American worker first.
September 1, 2025
From TexasGOP Chairman, Abraham George
On this Labor Day, we reflect not only on the dignity of work but also on the policies that shape our workforce and our future. One of the most pressing issues facing our country is the unchecked expansion of H-1B visas that displace American workers and weaken the foundation of our economy.
Immigration Is Good, But It Must Be Done Right
I am an immigrant. My journey to America was not quick or easy—it took 14 long years of waiting, vetting, and processing before I was granted the privilege to set foot here. Once I arrived, I never took a penny in welfare or subsidies. Since then, I have worked hard, built businesses, created jobs, and brought technology that improves lives. That is how immigration should work: it should be orderly, beneficial, and rooted in contribution—not dependence.
America has always welcomed immigrants, but with responsibility. No one is forced to come here. If you choose America, then you must embrace its principles, not import the cultural ideologies that failed your home country. The United States was built on biblical values of hard work, self-reliance, and liberty. If that’s too much, then stay where you are and work to fix your own country—or simply go back!
The H-1B System Is Being Abused
Originally intended for highly skilled workers, the H-1B program has morphed into a pipeline for corporations to replace American citizens with cheaper labor. In industries like trucking, tech, and even basic service roles, immigrant workers are taking jobs that average Americans should fill. This isn’t right. Now we even see illegal immigrant truck drivers on the road with no regard for American lives.
Other countries—like those in the Middle East or Europe—have work visa systems without permanent residency or citizenship paths. Workers can come temporarily, fill a need, and then return home. They get paid well while in the host country, but once the project is finished, they are required to leave. America should consider the same model. If there is a legitimate shortage of workers in a particular industry, then temporary labor may make sense. But it must never become a back door for permanent displacement of U.S. citizens.
No Burden on the Taxpayer
Every immigrant must stand on their own two feet. Taxpayers should never be forced to subsidize people who come here by choice. America should not admit anyone who will become a burden on welfare, housing subsidies, or health care systems. We should be focused on strengthening our workforce, investing in American workers, and building technology to reduce dependency on imported labor altogether.
America First—For Our Veterans, For Our Families
If other nations were truly self-sufficient, America wouldn’t need to spend billions on foreign aid and international welfare programs. We could take care of our own people first—our veterans, our families, our workers. Instead, Washington has prioritized corporations and foreign labor over American citizens. That must change.
A Blessing When Done Right
Immigration is a blessing when done right, but a curse when abused. Today it is clear that it is being abused in our country. We need skilled workers—but under clear, temporary, and strictly enforced conditions. We need immigrants who share the mindset of building, contributing, and respecting America’s heritage and biblical values—not draining its resources or undermining its culture.
As an immigrant who came the right way, I believe every new arrival should carry the same mentality: work hard, never depend on handouts, and honor the principles that made America great. My mom and dad worked manual labor for close to three decades. While alive, my mom made around $500 a month in Social Security, and my dad now makes around $650 a month. Then I hear about incidents where people are making over $2,000 in Social Security who haven’t worked a single day in their lives—people who came here on a visiting visa, converted their status to permanent, and then applied for disability. These are loopholes being abused by people who do not have the best interest of our nation at heart. They must be stopped.
It’s time to make America great again—by putting American citizens first.
For Texas, For America,
Abraham George
Chairman
Republican Party of Texas
