Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday that he won’t tolerate H1-B visa “abuse” in the state’s universities and ordered the Florida Board of Governors to “end this practice.”

“Universities across the country are importing foreign workers on H-1B visas instead of hiring Americans who are qualified and available to do the job. We will not tolerate H-1B abuse in Florida institutions. That’s why I have directed the Florida Board of Governors to end this practice,” DeSantis wrote on X.

“Florida leads the nation in higher education, and thousands of highly qualified Americans graduate from our colleges and universities every year. 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,” he added.

DeSantis’ office released a statement saying that, “Florida is requiring institutions to put American graduates first and ensure taxpayer-funded schools serve the American workforce, not to be used to import cheap foreign labor.”

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“H-1B visas are allegedly intended to hire individuals for a specialty occupation, but many universities and institutions have hired foreign workers for jobs that could easily be filled by qualified Americans. Universities are exempt from federal H-1B caps, enabling year-round hiring of foreign labor,” it also said.

The Department of Labor says on its website that the H1-B visa program “applies to employers seeking to hire nonimmigrant aliens as workers in specialty occupations or as fashion models of distinguished merit and ability.”

“A specialty occupation is one that requires the application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and the attainment of at least a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent. The intent of the H-1B provisions is to help employers who cannot otherwise obtain needed business skills and abilities from the U.S. workforce by authorizing the temporary employment of qualified individuals who are not otherwise authorized to work in the United States,” it added.

DeSantis said at a news conference Wednesday that Florida looked at its universities and found people there on H1-B visas, including an assistant swim coach from Spain, according to Fox13 Tampa Bay.

“Are you kidding me? We can’t produce an assistant swim coach in this country?” DeSantis said.

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DeSantis’ move comes after the Department of Justice asked people in late August to report illegal visa practices that could come at the expense of American workers.

Citizens are being urged to flag “discriminatory” advertisements for jobs, especially ones that state that the employer prefers people on a seasonal or H-1B visa.

“Are you an American citizen who has been harmed by inappropriate preferences for foreign workers, e.g. H1-B or other? Follow the link. It’s also a place to report human trafficking of immigrant workers, and Title VII employment discrimination,” Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon posted to X.

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The Department of Justice is also allowing people to send in tips for possible human trafficking violations related to temporary visa programs.

Fox News Digital’s Cameron Arcand contributed to this report.

Hundreds of University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) students stood in the rain Wednesday afternoon, lining sidewalks with umbrellas and handmade signs hours before Vice President JD Vance and Erika Kirk arrived for a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) campus event honoring the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

The crowd, which began forming early in the morning outside The Pavilion at Ole Miss, stretched across campus as students wore MAGA hats and ‘Freedom’ shirts in tribute to the slain Turning Point founder.

Leslie Lachman, president of the Turning Point USA chapter at Ole Miss, told Fox News the excitement was palpable.

“We are so beyond thrilled that they chose Ole Miss,” she said. “It’s an American-loving college, and we’re seeing red, white, and blue. People lined up for hours in the rain. The energy has been electric, and we can’t wait to see this event happen.”

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Lachman said Charlie Kirk’s assassination last month has only deepened student engagement.

“People came together in prayer and vigil. They want to be more involved with the campus now more than ever,” she said. “It was a devastating tragedy, but honestly, this really is the turning point. People want to get involved now more than ever.”

The Ole Miss stop marks TPUSA CEO Erika Kirk’s first and only appearance on Turning Point USA’s national college tour, where she is set to join Vance for a live Q&A with students, a format inspired by her late husband’s campus speaking events.

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“It’s the absolute most,” Lachman said. “And especially them choosing the elite university of Ole Miss to do it — out of all the organizations, they see Ole Miss as a forefront to have it. It’s an absolute honor not only for Turning Point, but for Ole Miss, a conservative-loving land.”

Lachman also noted that while some universities have resisted recognizing Turning Point chapters, Ole Miss has embraced the group’s message.

“I have friends who have reached out to me about the pushback they’ve received from campuses all around the country. It’s disheartening,” she said. “Don’t push the message of voting and then not back it by having both sides. I’m proud that I go to a university that backs the message of Turning Point USA.”

TPUSA Spokesman Andrew Kolvet shared on X that more than half the student body was packed into the venue, writing, “Over HALF of the student body (14,000 of 27,000 students) registered for tonight’s event (along with 13,000 adults we couldn’t fit).”

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Fox News Digital’s Matt Leach and Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis named a debate trophy after Charlie Kirk to honor the recently slain CEO of Turning Point USA (TPUSA).

“We have worked hard to make Florida the national model for civics education,” DeSantis said.

“The Florida Civics and Debate Initiative reflects our commitment to fostering students’ appreciation for America’s founding principles. The champion of the next FCDI state championship will take home the Charlie Kirk prize, renamed in honor of a young man who embodied the principles of patriotism, civil discourse, and open debate. 

“The generous scholarship awards for the winner and other top competitors will be a great memorial to Kirk’s legacy.”

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DeSantis on Monday touted the state’s effort to elevate civics education and announced that the winner of the state’s national speech and debate championship will receive the Charlie Kirk trophy. The Florida Civics and Debate Initiative State Championship will be held April 5, 2026, at New College of Florida in Sarasota.

The winner of the debate will also get a $50,000 scholarship, and the runner-up will receive a $25,000 scholarship.

Kirk built a following over several years by touring the country to debate college students on culture war issues like gender ideology, racial divisions and the merits of Christian and American values.

“Maybe you will get out of your comfort zone and question your own assumptions and maybe see things a little bit differently. There’s a lot of value in critical thinking,” DeSantis added. 

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The governor also announced that Florida and TPUSA have formed a partnership to ensure Club America chapters can be established in any high school in the Sunshine State.

TPUSA calls the high school chapters Club America.

Club America chapters typically host meetings twice a month for conservative students to express their values and ideas. The chapters host activities based on themes that could entail patriotism, sports, taxes or other topics. For instance, Club America chapters hosted Free Speech Week and United We Stand for the week of Sept. 11. 

DeSantis’ comments came after the Florida Attorney General’s Office of Parental Rights announced last month it would take legal action against any public schools that block TPUSA chapters.

Attorney General James Uthmeier cited reports that some public schools were not allowing TPUSA organizations to form on their campuses.

Florida’s office has not confirmed to Fox News Digital any official reports of high schools or other educational institutions attempting to block TPUSA chapters.

Oklahoma made a similar effort to support TPUSA chapters. Former State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters pledged to establish a TPUSA chapter in every high school.

Kirk’s assassination on Sept. 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University pushed TPUSA to its greatest prominence yet. 

Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, was named CEO and chair of the board of TPUSA, which operates 900 college chapters and about 1,200 high school chapters.

There have also been several efforts to honor Kirk’s legacy, including a Michigan County commission voting to erect a statue in his memory. Oklahoma officials have reportedly discussed incorporating Kirk’s name into public higher education spaces, and a highway in Clermont, Florida, has been named after him.

DeSantis’ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.