Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley and rating member Richard Durbin have additionally questioned Amazon, Apple, Deloitte, Google, JPMorgan Chase, Meta, Microsoft, and Walmart, asking them for particulars on their hiring and recruitment practices in addition to any variation in wage and advantages between H-1B visa holders and American workers.
The Senators stated their “inquiry” comes at a time when the unemployment price in America’s tech sector is “well above” the general jobless price. According to the Federal Reserve, latest American graduates with STEM levels now face increased unemployment charges than the final inhabitants, they acknowledged.
It is pertinent to say that Senator Grassley and Senator Durbin have been vocal critics of the H-1B visa programme and have constantly contended that these visas are being abused by many to interchange U.S. employees with cheaper labour from abroad.
In truth, just some days after their missive to the ten corporations, the Senators stated they’re reintroducing bipartisan laws to “reform and close loopholes” within the H-1B and L-1 visa packages.
The H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act targets fraud and abuse in U.S. immigration system, gives safety for American employees and visa holders and enhances transparency within the international employee recruitment course of, the 2 argued.
“In evaluating the excessive unemployment price for American tech employees, we can’t ignore the large, ongoing layoffs ordered by you and your friends in Big Tech C-suites over the previous few years…At the identical time you have got been shedding your workers, you have got been submitting H-1B visa petitions for (1000’s of) international employees,” the Senators wrote in letters to 10 main employers within the U.S. on September 25, 2025.
They added: “With all of the homegrown American talent relegated to the sidelines, we find it hard to believe that (you) cannot find qualified American tech workers to fill these positions.”
On TCS, the assertion famous that the corporate lately introduced plans to put off over 12,000 workers, together with American employees.
“In fiscal year 2025, TCS applied for and received approval to hire 5,505 foreign H1-1B employees. TCS is currently under investigation by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for allegedly firing older American employees in favour of newly hired foreign H-1B visa holders,” it stated.
It additional stated Cognizant Technology Solutions laid off 1000’s of employees, together with workers within the US.
“In fiscal year 2025, Cognizant applied for and received approval to hire 2,493 foreign H-1B employees. In 2024, a federal jury concluded Cognizant favoured South Asian H1-B visa holders over American employees, which warranted punitive damages,” it added.
E-mails despatched to TCS and Cognizant for feedback by PTI didn’t elicit a response.
The assertion by Grassley and Durbin famous that Amazon laid off tens-of-thousands of workers in recent times, blaming the adoption of generative AI instruments. In fiscal yr 2025, Amazon utilized for and obtained approval to rent 10,044 international H-1B workers.
Google, it stated, laid off tens-of-thousands of workers in recent times, together with lots of of employees in its platform and system unit, and 35% of its small crew managers “despite enjoying records profits”.
In fiscal yr 2025, Google utilized for and obtained approval to rent 4,181 international H-1B workers, the assertion noticed.
According to it, Meta laid off 1 / 4 of its workforce between 2022 and 2023 and labelled it a “year of efficiency”.
“In 2025, Meta laid off 3,600 employees, overshooting its stated goal of laying off another five per cent of its workforce. In fiscal year 2025, Meta applied for and received approval to hire 5,123 foreign H-1B employees,” it stated.
Microsoft utilized for and obtained approval to rent 5,189 international H-1B workers in fiscal yr 2025, as per the assertion.
Microsoft laid off 16,000 workers this yr alone, regardless of file income and earnings, it stated including amid criticism for mass-layoffs, Microsoft characterised its actions as an “enigma of success”.
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