Portrait of Steve Bannon
Politician · policy
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Steve Bannon on Legal Immigration

Hardline immigration restrictionist (strong)

TL;DR

Steve Bannon strongly advocates for severely curtailing all immigration, including legal pathways, to protect American workers and national sovereignty.

Key Points

  • Called for a 10-year moratorium on all immigration to address what he views as a corrupt system, circa December 2025.

  • Described the H-1B visa program as a "total and complete scam to destroy the American worker" by suppressing wages.

  • Argued that foreign students should be issued exit visas rather than green cards, as keeping talent harms their home countries.

Summary

Steve Bannon has voiced strong opposition to current levels of both legal and illegal immigration, viewing it as detrimental to American workers and national sovereignty. His position aligns with the populist, anti-elite wing of his political movement, specifically targeting employment-based visas, such as the H-1B program, which he has described as a scam used by corporations to suppress wages. He has called for more drastic measures than just reform, proposing a full 10-year moratorium on all immigration to allow the system to be rebuilt due to perceived corruption and abuse.

His views on legal immigration, particularly skilled worker visas, place him in direct opposition to business and technology sector interests within the Republican coalition. He argued that American workers should immediately fill any labor gaps created by deporting current visa holders. Furthermore, he suggested that allowing foreign students to remain after graduation harms the talent base of their home countries, indicating a perspective that prioritizes national self-sufficiency and worker protection over global talent acquisition.

Key Quotes

“I do believe that zero tolerance is the correct policy, right?You can’t just have unlimited, open economic migration.You have to make people go through the ports of entry.You have to stick to the political—you know, the political asylum system.”

“So this is why we're calling for a 10-year moratorium, no immigration,”

“American workers should be hired immediately to fill those gaps,” he continued, “and then we should start the discussions on reparations, on what they knowingly did to American tech workers.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Steve Bannon holds a strong negative position on legal immigration, advocating for severe reductions. He believes current levels, including employment-based visas, harm American workers and suppress their wages. His preferred solution is a comprehensive, multi-year freeze on nearly all immigration.

Bannon's stance appears consistent in its hardline nature, viewing large-scale legal immigration as fundamentally opposed to the interests of the working class. His strong opposition to programs like H-1B has remained a consistent theme in his public commentary.

Steve Bannon called for more than just ending H-1B visas; he advocated for a full 10-year moratorium on all immigration. He characterized the H-1B program specifically as a tool used by corporations to import cheaper labor and suppress wages for American tech workers.

Sources6

* This is not an exhaustive list of sources.