Timcast IRL – September 20, 2025

Episode Title: Trump Just Ended H1B Visas In Major Crackdown, Charging $100k Per Visa w/ Patrick Casey
Host: Tim Pool (A)
Guests: Patrick Casey (C), Tate Brown (D), Phil Labonte (E)

Overview

This episode unpacks Donald Trump's executive order imposing a $100,000 yearly fee on H1B visas—a move many panelists agree will effectively end the program and spark seismic changes in the U.S. labor market. The panel explores how this policy aligns with longstanding MAGA priorities, weighs its consequences for American workers, and views it as a dividing line within Trump's coalition. The conversation then branches into mass immigration, the weaponization of identity groups in politics, cultural decline signified by America’s gambling boom, media polarization amidst the Kimmel/Colbert controversies, and the escalation of political violence post-Charlie Kirk's assassination.

Exchanges are marked by Tim Pool’s irreverent, rapid-fire style, with sharp takes and dark humor interspersed with more somber analyses of the state of American society and politics.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump’s $100,000 H1B Visa Fee: End of the Program?

• Summary: Trump’s executive order effectively prices out most companies from sponsoring foreign workers with H1B visas, with a $100,000 annual fee—up from standard application costs.
• Tim Pool (A) [06:06]: "Ain't nobody spending $100,000 to hire a guy for $35k. So this is effectively ending the H1B visa program as far as anyone's concerned."
• Patrick Casey (C) [06:27]: "The argument that it's about getting the best talent from all over the world is totally dishonest. Other visas already exist for top talent—this was always about undercutting American wages."
• Details:
  • The fee is annual, not a one-time cost.
  • Wage floors for H1B also rise from ~$60k to $150k.
  • Lottery replaced by a 'highest bidder' approach [15:55].
  • Effectively, only the mega-wealthy companies seeking very rare talents will participate, not run-of-the-mill outsourcing.
  • Panelists agree: This neutralizes “cheap labor displacement” and should raise wages for Americans in tech and entry-level roles.

2. Abuse and Coercion in Visa and Immigrant Labor Systems

• Phil Labonte (E) [08:08]: “When someone gets an H1B visa... their residency is connected to having a job. So it turns them into basically an indentured slave... it really becomes a tool of coercion by a company.”
• Broader Point: Such systems facilitate worker exploitation and even human trafficking under the guise of legal immigration. The conversation links this to slave-like conditions in immigrant-dense businesses.

3. Immigrant Political Power & Dual Loyalties

• Discussion: The panel warns about the rise of ethnic/immigrant enclaves and their elected officials allegedly lobbying for foreign interests.
• Tim (A) [21:44]: "What are we gonna do when people build big followings of foreign individuals and then run for office, financing their campaign with money made from abroad?"
• Citing Ilhan Omar & Rashida Tlaib as examples: Arguing that immigrant politicians are rewarded for serving non-American (e.g., Somali, Palestinian) causes.
• Patrick (C) [26:09]: "When you bring people over in large amounts, they're less likely to assimilate... What immigrants are assimilating to now could be Black Lives Matter and liberalism generally."
• Tone: Dire, warning of the fracturing of national identity and values.

4. Media Polarization: The Kimmel/Colbert Saga

• Tim (A) [36:36]: "Colbert, I think, is basically like—they canceled the contract, but I’m stuck here. So maybe he’s poking the bear to get fired and become a martyr."
• Phil (E) [29:57]: “He’s worth $75 million; don’t you just want to put your feet up and ride off into the sunset?”
• Insight: The late-night TV legacy is dead; younger generations don’t tune in, and the only audience left is aging boomers.
• Political Fallout: The left’s “comedic” class is out of touch, and their controversies are met with glee or scorn by a divided culture.

5. Escalating Political Violence

• Backdrop: Assassination of Charlie Kirk, bomb threats at RFK Jr.'s home, shots fired at an ABC station.
• Tim (A) [94:11]: "It's been a week: congressional staffer set on fire, bomb threat at RFK's, shooting at ABC. Five years ago this would be front page news; now it’s just, 'oh, okay.'"
• Prediction [70:15]: Tim suggests the U.S. is entering an era of right-wing authoritarianism, citing inspiration from El Salvador’s drastic anti-crime reforms.
• Patrick (C) [76:53]: "In an ideal situation you don’t have to adopt harsh measures to have a safe society. But once crime’s eroded the social fabric, it’s do you let your country die, or fix it?"

6. Decline Markers: Casinos, Gambling, Social Decay

• Social Commentary: The proliferation of slot parlors, sports gambling, weed stores, and Dollar Generals is painted as evidence of civilizational decline.
• Patrick (C) [56:36]: “There’s an aspect to decline you can’t quantify—an aesthetic thing... it just doesn’t feel good.”
• Nostalgia: Old 'vice' had a social, communal aspect; now, Americans engage in atomized, isolated behaviors.

7. Cancel Culture: Tables Turning

• Now the left is getting fired for ‘dancing on Charlie's grave’ on social media.
• Tim (A) [101:18]: "Cancel Culture was when people were fired for things that were not objectionable... Now, a dude gets shot and killed, you're posting videos celebrating, and you're fired—suddenly, that's cancel culture?"
• Phil (E) [96:43]: "They canceled the president. Welcome to the world you created."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Patrick Casey [06:27]: "It's a program almost explicitly designed to undercut American wages, particularly in the tech role."
• Phil Labonte [08:08]: "A lot of times their residency is connected to having a job. So it turns them into basically an indentured slave."
• Tim Pool [21:44]: "What are we going to do when people build big followings of foreign individuals?... Their interest is lobbying for a foreign country."
• Tim Pool [36:36]: "I think Colbert’s trying to get fired so he can go on the liberal martyr circuit."
• Tim Pool [70:15]: "We are looking at a high probability of a right wing authoritarian form of government for the next decade plus."
• Tim Pool [76:53]: "Bukele has revolutionized that country... Would we not want that same kind of reform for the United States now?"
• Tim Pool [94:11]: "It's been one week: congressional staffer dies being set on fire, bomb threat at RFK Jr's, shooting at an ABC station... This stuff was front page news five years ago. Now it’s just, oh, okay."

Important Segment Timestamps

• [06:06] — Deep dive into the new H1B visa fee and economic implications.
• [08:08] — Discussion on H1B visa workers as 'indentured servants'.
• [15:40] — Details on the wage floor hike and further visa crackdowns.
• [21:44] — Foreign influence and immigrant-based political lobbying in Congress.
• [36:36] — The Kimmel/Colbert late-night drama and mainstream media's decline.
• [70:15] — Prediction of right-wing authoritarian response and comparison to El Salvador.
• [76:53] — Debate on civil liberties versus authoritarian crackdowns for safety.
• [94:11] — Escalation of political violence with bomb threats, shootings, and assassinations.
• [101:18] — Reflection on cancel culture—leftists face consequences for celebrating assassination.

Tone & Approach

The panel blends cynical humor, populist resentment, and unfiltered analysis. They use anecdotal evidence, sharp wit, and a sense of pessimism about America’s direction—occasionally lightened by jabs at cultural absurdities (e.g., slot machines, the decline of late-night TV). A “we warned you” attitude pervades, especially in discussions about cancel culture, immigration, and polarization.

Conclusion

This episode frames Trump’s H1B move as a populist triumph with broad labor implications, while casting elite opposition as fundamentally anti-American. Their discussion reflects anxieties about immigration-driven identity politics, a decaying social fabric, and looming political violence. The podcast closes with a resolute sense that America stands at a dangerous precipice—shaped by choices, resentments, and the culture wars of the last decade.

For further detail, consult individual timestamped exchanges above.