US bars Microsoft, Adobe, and major IT firms from green card program for skilled foreign workers to 'protect American jobs'

The Trump administration is tightening visa programs to safeguard American jobs. Nine major US tech companies, including Microsoft and Adobe, have been barred from the H-1B and green card programs. Additionally, nine top US universities have been suspended from accepting international applications. Vice President JD Vance claimed that Microsoft has laid off 6,000 American workers while enrolling 6,300 temporary H-1B workers and nearly 3,000 green cards.

Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling announced that these companies will not be allowed to file new or process pending PERM applications, which involve nearly three million workers, with over 230,000 H-1B visas approved and more than 100,000 permanent labor certifications received. Microsoft refuted Vance's claims, stating that most of their H-1B applications were for existing employees or individuals already residing in the US.

Nine universities, including Harvard and Stanford, are also under investigation for potentially misusing exchange-visitor visas and violating immigration laws.