Thirty former Walt Disney World information technology workers laid off and replaced by immigrants on H-1B visas sued the company this week, saying they were discriminated against on the basis of race and national origin.

The lawsuit was filed Monday in federal court in Orlando.

Two of the workers, Leo Perrero and Dena Moore, had previously sued the company, asserting Disney and its outsourcing firms violated federal law because the contractors were misleading when sponsoring workers for the visas. A judge dismissed those lawsuits earlier this year.

The newest lawsuit says the workers were discriminated against because they were replaced by Indian workers. At least some of the employees are white.

"Like the two other dismissed cases brought by this lawyer, this latest lawsuit is nonsense and we will defend it vigorously," Disney said in an emailed statement.

Disney let go about 250 tech workers almost two years ago, bringing in foreigners working for outsourcing firms. Some employees had to train their foreign replacements.

Such use of H-1B visas is considered a way for companies to save money by hiring foreign workers who work for less pay.

Disney says it hired more than 100 people back into other positions and that its information technology department actually became larger.

The layoffs created an outcry, and H-1B visas became a hot political issue. President-elect Donald Trump spoke out against them on the campaign trail.

Congress created the H-1B visa program in 1990 to allow a limited number of high-tech workers to enter the United States to fill jobs with a shortage of American workers. The program is capped at 85,000 six-year visas per year, although exemptions are allowed for people working in universities.

Some companies have argued for increases in the visas, saying they help companies fill legitimate needs in their tech workforces.

The lawsuit seeks compensation for the Disney workers' lost wages and reinstatement to similar jobs.

"As a direct and proximate result of Defendant's willful and reckless discrimination against Plaintiffs, Plaintiffs have suffered and will continue to experience pain and suffering, mental anguish, emotional distress, and loss of earnings and other employment benefits and job opportunities," the lawsuit says.

In their previous lawsuit, Perrero and Moore said Disney and its outsourcing firms made false statements on certifications for the visa program. The H-1B program requires employers to state whether current employees would be "adversely affected" when a company hires foreign workers through the program.

Perrero and Moore argued in court that their working conditions at Disney were adversely affected. One of the contractors stated none its own employees would be adversely affected. A judge ruled the statements would have been false only if the contractor's own workers were adversely affected.

spedicini@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5240