Trump Administration bars Microsoft, other tech companies from H-1B visa program

(CNN, KYMA) - The Trump Administration announced the suspension of Microsoft and some other tech companies from seeking permanent residence for its foreign workers through the H-1B visa program Thursday.

Vice President JD Vance said his Anti-Fraud Task Force found Microsoft laid-off 6,000 American workers last year, but the company sought residency for 6,300 foreign workers.

Vance alleged Microsoft is the largest abuser of the visa program, and used it to replace costlier American workers with cheaper foreign workers.

"Our message to Microsoft and to any other foreign or domestic corporation is quite simple. We obviously want you to thrive in the United States of America. We want people to invest in the United States of America, particularly the American technology sector," Vice President Vance remarked. "We are the biggest boosters of your industry. We want you to continue to grow and to employ a lot of people, but we want you to employ American workers, and so our message to Microsoft is, you're a great American company, but you've got to hire great American workers. You cannot lay off American workers and then replace them with foreign indentured servants."

Microsoft was contacted for comment.

The announcement comes on the same day President Donald Trump was scheduled to award Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella with the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, the nation's highest honor for technological achievement.