If you want to understand how corporate America sold out the American worker, look no further than Microsoft. On Thursday, Vice President JD Vance did what far too few politicians in either party have the courage to do: he called them out. Loudly, directly, and without apology.
Microsoft, a company worth over $3 trillion, is laying off thousands of American workers—while at the same time applying for thousands of H-1B visas to import foreign labor. Let that sink in. American citizens, many with families to support and bills to pay, are being shown the door so Microsoft can bring in cheaper workers from abroad. And they’re doing it under the guise of a “labor shortage.” It’s a lie, and Vance knows it.
“This is a betrayal of the American workforce,” Vance said, laying the blame squarely where it belongs. He’s not wrong. The H-1B visa program was originally intended to fill critical skill gaps when no qualified American workers could be found. But that’s not how it works today—not by a long shot. Today, it’s a cost-cutting tool. Tech giants like Microsoft have learned how to game the system, pushing out experienced American professionals and replacing them with cheaper, temporary labor.
And here’s the kicker: these tech companies aren’t even subtle about it anymore. They lay off Americans one week and file visa applications the next. In 2023 alone, Microsoft applied for over 1,700 H-1B visas. Meanwhile, they were pink-slipping employees by the thousands. That’s not a coincidence. It’s a business model.
The result? Wages stagnate. Job security vanishes. And American talent is discarded like yesterday’s software update. All while Big Tech executives cash in their stock options and lecture the rest of us about “equity” and “inclusivity.”
Let’s be clear: this isn’t about immigration. It’s about exploitation. It’s about a system that rewards disloyalty to the American worker. And it’s about a corrupt alliance between multinational corporations and the political class that lets it happen. Democrats cheer it on for ideological reasons. Some Republicans look the other way for donor dollars. But JD Vance isn’t playing that game.
He understands what’s at stake. The American Dream only works if Americans can find decent jobs with fair wages. If our own companies won’t hire our own people, then what exactly are we building? Who is this economy for?
It’s worth noting that this isn’t just a Microsoft problem—it’s an industry-wide rot. Amazon, Google, Meta, and others have all pulled the same trick. Slash American jobs, plead poverty, and then quietly import thousands of foreign workers who can’t negotiate, can’t quit, and won’t complain. It’s not innovation—it’s exploitation with a Silicon Valley smile.
And while they’re at it, these same companies are lobbying Congress to expand the H-1B program even further. They want more visas, fewer restrictions, and zero accountability. Why? Because it’s good for their bottom line, and they know that Washington is full of politicians too cowardly—or too compromised—to stop them.
That’s why Vance’s stand matters. It’s not just rhetoric. It’s a line in the sand. He’s telling these corporations: you don’t get to gut the American workforce while pretending to be patriotic. You don’t get to fly the flag one day and fire veterans the next. You don’t get to hide behind “diversity” while displacing American engineers, coders, and technicians who’ve dedicated their lives to building this nation’s tech backbone.
The America First agenda means putting American workers first. Not sometimes. Not when it’s convenient. Always. And that starts by holding companies like Microsoft accountable for their actions—not just in press releases, but in law and policy.
Vice President Vance is doing what real leaders do: defending the people who built this country and calling out those who would tear it down for profit. It’s time the rest of Washington followed his lead.
