Florida Senator Bill Nelson has asked the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to look into the possibility an immigration visa program has gone awry.
Nelson talked to reporters at Jacksonville’s Hyatt Regency hotel Friday.
Nelson says he asked for the investigation after receiving thousands of letters claiming the H-1B visa program is being misused.
The purpose of the visa program is place immigrants in U.S. jobs where there are labor shortages. Nelson says it’s not to take jobs away from Americans, but he says he thinks that could be happening.
“If it’s being abused, then we’re going to get to the bottom of it and stop it,” Nelson said. “When you get 3,000 pieces of mail and email, you know that something is suddenly happening.
This week, the New York Times reported 250 workers at Walt Disney World were laid off, and many are being replaced by immigrants on H-1B visas.
