The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that 120,141 H-1B visa applications have been selected for 2026. This figure marks the lowest number of selections since 2021, a development attributed to various factors including the annual H-1B cap, increased application fees, and potentially a cooling demand amidst economic uncertainties and layoffs in some sectors. “During the registration period for the FY 2026 H-1B cap, we saw a significant decrease in the total number of registrations submitted and eligible beneficiaries compared to FY 2025, including a decrease in the number of registrations submitted on behalf of beneficiaries with multiple registrations,” said USCIS in a release on its website.Despite this multi-year low in selections, the announcement has ignited a fresh wave of debate, particularly among supporters of the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement. Some within this political sphere have expressed outrage over what they perceive as a “huge” number of approvals, echoing long-standing concerns that the H-1B program facilitates the displacement of American workers.Laura Loomer, a prominent figure and staunch Donald Trump supporter, voiced her discontent on social media, stating, “US workers are being replaced. 120,000 H-1B visas have been approved for 2026. Not good.” Loomer has been a vocal critic of the H-1B program and played a central role in a recent internal division within the MAGA camp regarding the appropriate levels of high-skilled immigration.

H-1B visas the Big divide among MAGA supporters: Elon Musk, David Sacks, Steve Bannon and long list…

This internal debate has pitted figures like Elon Musk, David Sacks, and Vivek Ramaswamy, who have advocated for an increase in the H-1B quota to address perceived shortages of specialized talent and maintain U.S. competitiveness, against those like Steve Bannon, former advisor to President Trump, and Laura Loomer. This latter group argues for stricter limits on H-1B visas, prioritizing American workers for available jobs. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is a very strong supporter of H-1B visas. In an open fight late last year, Elon Musk said that he is “ready to go to war” on H-1B visas. Steve Bannon has been particularly vocal in his opposition to the latest H-1B selections, labeling the number of approvals as “outrageous.” He argued that in an economic climate characterized by mass layoffs and the increasing capabilities of artificial intelligence, the approval of any new H-1B visas is unwarranted. “The number of H-1Bs we need this year is ZERO,” Bannon asserted, further stating, “Everyone issued one should go home, and every billet should be filled by an American.” This stance reflects a broader sentiment among some that foreign workers are taking jobs that could and should be filled by American citizens.The lower number of H-1B selections for FY 2026, while statistically the lowest in several years, has done little to quell the anxieties of those who believe the program harms American workers. The debate over the H-1B visa program continues to be a contentious issue, reflecting broader disagreements about immigration, workforce needs, and the competitiveness of the U.S. economy in a globalized world. The differing viewpoints within the MAGA movement underscore the complexity of this issue and the diverse perspectives even among those who share similar political ideologies.