News India Times

www.newsindiatimes.com – that’s all you need to know Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Orders End To H-1B Hiring In Higher Education Institutions O n October 29, 2025, Florida governor Ron De- Santis lashed out at the practice of hiring H-1B high skilled workers in education institutions. According to him, the visa that brings thousands of highly qualified Indians to this country is being abused and universities are not producing enough quali- fied individuals to fulfil the needs of the nation. Governor DeSantis directed the Florida Board of Governors “to crack down on H-1BVisa abuse in higher education,” a press release from his office said. He also announced that Florida DOGE has partnered with Federal DOGE, the State University System, and institutional partners to cancel or repurpose millions of dollars in DEI-related grants. “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,” he is quoted saying in the press release and in a post on X. “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.” 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. The Governor’s press release claims that 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.” The press release noted that Universities are exempt from federal H-1B caps, enabling year-round hiring of foreign labor. He also announced an end to Diversity Equity Inclusion initiatives. “By working with Federal DOGE, the State University System, and individual institutions, Florida has also re- purposed or canceled DEI-related grants that were made with total intended amounts of more than $33 million,” the press release said. Several grants were cancelled due to their lack of com- pliance with state and federal law regarding DEI-centric, discriminatory missions, the Governor contended, citing the following examples to make the case: • $1.5 million for “Challenging Anti-Black Racism in Civil and Environmental Engineering Curriculum,” a grant centered around environmental justice and eq- uitable and inclusive curriculum for civil engineers. • $1.3 million for “Mobilizing Physics Teachers to Promote Inclusive and Communal Classroom Cul- tures Through Everyday Actions,” a grant focused on inclusive and equitable practices for women and minority racial groups and promoting inclusion and equity in classrooms. He also cited examples where his state had “repur- posed” millions of dollars in previously DEI-centered grants to align with state and federal law, such as: • $1.5 million grant previously focused on promoting “historically marginalized students” in STEM fields to focus on financial background, rather than race or ethnicity. • Expanded a $700,000 National Science Foundation grant historically focused toward exclusively black students to include eligibility for all students, regard- less of race or background. Florida DOGE has also identified over $10.6 million in grants within the Florida College System to repurpose or cancel, the press release said, citing as examples, the following: • $454,000 for a grant targeted toward “underrepre- sented populations” in drone work and avionics. • $750,000 for a grant exclusively available for minori- ties pursuing STEM degrees. In a post on X, DeSantis went on to say, “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 strug- gling 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.” By a StaffWriter PHOTO:X Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announcing views on H-1B visas. October 29, 2025 post on X. US - India By Alisha Sachdev Ford To Invest $370 Million In India Defying Trump’s Local Push F ord Motor Co. plans to invest about 32.5 bil- lion rupees ($366 million) in India to make new engines, the Detroit-based automaker said Friday, signaling renewed confidence in the country and defying Donald Trump’s promotion of American manu- facturing as it reopens a factory closed four years ago. The Maraimalai Nagar manufacturing site in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu will be retooled to make high-tech engines for export markets with an annual capacity of 235,000 units, the statement said. Details on the engine type and where they’ll be exported to will be annnounced closer to the start of production, it added. Bloomberg News first reported the plans on Thursday. The US automaker, which signaled its interest in resuming local production in India a year ago, has been preparing the investment for months against a backdrop of heightened tensions between New Delhi andWashing- ton. Trump placed a 50% tariff on Indian imports earlier this year in a trade standoff, and has lashed out at the Asian country’s purchase of Russian oil. Ford said it will start work on the site this year, with production slated to begin in 2029. The move comes even as Trump made boosting manu- facturing in the US - especially where the automotive in- dustry is concerned - a signature policy goal. Ford caught flack from the president during his first term for a plan to increase output outside the US, but more recently won praise from him after announcing major investments at its domestic plants. Ford’s decision reflects renewed confidence in India as a manufacturing base from Chief Executive Officer Jim Farley and comes as it pivots from a previous focus on electric vehicles. The Dearborn, Michigan-based compa- ny first set up manufacturing near Chennai in 1995 and added a second plant in Sanand, Gujarat, in 2015. Shortly after becoming CEO in 2020, Farley pulled the plug on a deal with Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. that would have kept Ford vehicles on Indian roads. He aban- doned the market altogether less than a year later, saying it could no longer pour capital into marginal markets like India and Brazil that provided little or no return. By by the time it exited, Ford racked up losses total- ing over $2 billion. It ultimately sold off the Sanand vehicle plant to Tata Motors, which now builds EVs there. In 2020, Ford’s chief US rival, General Motors Co., also ceased production in India, three years after shifting to an export-only business model. More recently, other US companies have been build- ing up their manufacturing presence in India, despite the political tension. Trump singled out Apple Inc. in May for its decision to manufacture in India, but the tech giant has since ramped up iPhone production across five Indian factories. Tamil Nadu, where Ford plans to restart its old facil- ity, is one of India’s largest industrialized states and a longtime automaking hub. It’s home to manufacturing facilities operated by Hyundai Motor Co., Renault SA, and BMW AG. -Bloomberg PHOTO:KUNITAKAHASHI/BLOOMBERG Ford Motor Co. employees assemble vehicle body parts at the Maraima- lai Nagar factory in Chengalpattu, India in 2012. News India Times (November 1, 2025 - November 7, 2025) November 7, 2025 8 US Affairs