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VOLUME 120 - ISSUE 12

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2025

Not officially associated with the University of Florida

Published by Campus Communications, Inc. of Gainesville, Florida

What DeSantis’ call to cut H-1B visas means for UF

Over 250 faculty positions at risk if a change comes to fruition By Angelique Rodriguez Alligator Staff Writer

Gov. Ron DeSantis’ recent crackdown on H-1B visas leaves the future of academics at UF hanging in the balance. An H-1B visa allows American employers to hire college-educated foreign citizens for up to six years, during which the employees can apply for permanent residency. UF employs the largest number of people under the H-1B visa program among all Florida public universities. This fiscal year, the university approved 253 H-1B visas, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services figures updated this week. But DeSantis called to “pull the plug” on these visas during an Oct. 29 news conference, citing a need to put American workers first. The H-1B visa program allows employers to temporarily employ qualified international individuals when U.S.-based supply is low, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. “If any universities are truly struggling to find U.S. citizens to fill their job openings, they ought to evaluate their academic programs to determine why they cannot produce graduates who can be hired for these positions,” Desantis wrote in an X post that same day. Somnath Datta, a UF biostatistics professor, said it would be hard to fill the spots current UF H-1B visa faculty members hold.

SPORTS/SPECIAL/CUTOUT

Football Story description finish with comma,

Eugene Wilson III’s performance pg# against Georgia. Read more on pg. 11.

There might not be enough qualified American candidates to be hired into their positions, he said. “I’m not sure if it can be implemented in all areas, simply because there may not be enough American candidates,” Datta said. The biostatistics department is already looking for candidates to fill empty spaces, he said, so without current H-1B visa holders, departments like his might be left even emptier. These candidates are hired based on qualifications, not visa status, Datta said. “I’m not going to worry about it unless we are specifically told not to even look at candidates who are not U.S. citizens,” he said. A prospective shakeup to the H-1B visa program extends to the federal level. On Sept. 19, President Donald Trump said he would enact cost restrictions for H-1B workers’ entry, arguing the visa system has been abused and prioritized foreign employees over Americans. The Trump Administration hasn’t announced when the new regulations will go into effect. Speaking about Florida institutions, DeSantis called on the Florida Board of Governors to crack down on the visa program so Americans could be considered for jobs first. DeSantis posted on X saying he wanted to end the practice of “importing foreign workers on H-1B visas instead of hiring Americans who are qualified and available to

Libby Clifton // Alligator Staff

Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at Emerson Alumni Hall on UF’s campus Monday, Sept. 29, 2025.

SEE H-1B VISA, PAGE 4

Florida cuts Latin American and Caribbean Scholarship across universities BOARD OF GOVERNORS REPEALED KEY SCHOLARSHIP, RAISING QUESTIONS ABOUT AFFORDABILITY AND ACCESS

By Ariana Badra & Vera Lucia Pappaterra Alligator Staff Writers

Seven months after the Florida Board of Governors announced it would discontinue the Latin Ameri-

Lawsuits

can and Caribbean Scholarship, out-of-state students and applicants are facing financial uncertainty, forcing many to reconsider how — and where — they can afford higher education. The scholarship offered in-state Florida tuition rates, rather than outof-state rates, to students from 50 Latin American and Caribbean countries. It could save recipients about $98,000 across four years. UF confirmed in March 2025 that current recipients will continue

receiving the scholarship through graduation, but no new awards will be offered beginning Fall 2025. The University of South Florida will not award new LAC scholarships, either. However, it will continue to work with all students to make them aware of scholarship and financial aid opportunities that may be available, according to university spokesperson Althea Johnson. Some students who had already

SEE LAC, PAGE 4

UF student goes to court over social media posts, pg. 2

Gainesville

State could remove veteran memorial, pg. 4

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