Last night’s Gutfeld! panel put on display what every hardworking American already suspects: our immigration priorities are upside down. Greg Gutfeld and his guests rightly asked why O-1 and similar visas—meant for top-tier talent—are being snapped up by TikTok stars and OnlyFans creators while skilled workers and traditional artists wait in line. The exchange was blunt and uncomfortable, but it’s time we stopped pretending this trend is harmless.
The facts back up the outrage: the elite O-1 “extraordinary ability” visa is increasingly being used by online influencers whose primary credential is follower counts and viral videos. Journalists and immigration lawyers are reporting a clear shift in who qualifies for these celebrity visas, reflecting a disturbing redefinition of what counts as art and achievement in Washington’s eyes. This isn’t just cultural rot—it’s policy failure dressed up as progress.
Concrete examples make the point. Recent reporting highlighted a Canadian internet model who secured an O-1B visa after producing viral content and documenting follower-driven income and sponsorships—proof that click-based fame can now substitute for the traditional markers of extraordinary achievement. If a pastrami-deli video can trump years of training and achievement by an American artist, something is very wrong with the system.
This trend has real consequences for culture and for American workers. When Washington and its bureaucrats start measuring merit by algorithms instead of craft, we cheapen the arts and reward spectacle over substance. Patriotic citizens who have sacrificed and worked to build careers in music, film, academia, or skilled trades deserve a system that recognizes proven talent and contribution—not a popularity contest judged by click farms and paid promotions.
The scale of the change is startling: issuances of the O-1 category have risen sharply in recent years, growing more than fifty percent over a decade even as overall non-immigrant visas lagged behind, underscoring a targeted expansion of celebrity-style approvals. Yet the O-1 program remains relatively small compared with work visas like the H-1B, meaning every questionable O-1 slot taken by a viral influencer is one less slot that could go to an artist, scientist, or entrepreneur with demonstrable, long-term contributions.
Immigration attorneys themselves acknowledge the tidal shift: a growing share of their O-1 clients now come from OnlyFans and social-media backgrounds, with some firms estimating that influencers make up half—or more—of their caseload. When the lawyers and gatekeepers of the system are the ones saying the program’s purpose has been distorted, legislators should be paying attention instead of shrugging.
Patriots who respect the rule of law should demand immediate fixes: tighten the evidentiary standards for “extraordinary ability,” require more rigorous vetting of sponsorship agents, and restore priority to immigrants whose skills and accomplishments genuinely benefit the American economy and culture. We should be welcoming true talent and high-skill workers, not importing internet fame factories that profit off scandal and sensationalism.
Congress and the Administration owe the American people a fight on this. Protecting the integrity of our visa system is about defending American workers, preserving cultural standards, and ensuring that citizenship and residency are earned by meaningful contribution—not sold to the highest bidder of views and likes. Hardworking Americans deserve policymakers who will stand up for merit, not kneel to the algorithms.
