Republican Governor Candidate Pledges Crackdown on H-1B Visas
Summary
Jake Merrick, a Republican running for governor in Oklahoma, wants to limit H-1B visas so they are only used when no qualified U.S. workers are available. He also plans to stop state agencies from using these visas to replace American workers and supports stricter immigration enforcement.Key Facts
- Jake Merrick is a Republican candidate for Oklahoma governor and a former state senator.
- Merrick wants to restrict H-1B and similar foreign-worker visas to cases where no qualified American workers are available.
- He opposes state agencies and universities using these visas to replace U.S. employees.
- Merrick plans to block state contracts from going to companies that rely on foreign labor instead of hiring locally.
- Oklahoma had about 858 H-1B visa approvals in 2025 and over 3,000 since 2021.
- The Trump administration raised fees on H-1B visa petitions and changed the selection system to favor higher-paid workers.
- Merrick supports stronger immigration enforcement, including deportations and cooperation between state and federal authorities.
- Oklahoma’s Republican primary for governor in 2026 includes several candidates, with Merrick polling at 5 percent.
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