Washington: As part of a larger attempt by the Trump administration to clamp down on the foreign worker visa system, the US Department of Labour (DOL) has opened at least 175 investigations into possible abuses within the H-1B visa programme, according to a Friday report from Fox News.
The programme, known as “Project Firewall,” was introduced in September with the intention of targeting businesses that allegedly abuse the visa system, which permits US companies to employ foreign workers in specialised fields such as computer technology, engineering, and healthcare.
“The Department of Labour is using every resource at our disposal to put a stop to H-1B abuse and protect American jobs,” the DOL Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said in a post on X.
She added that “Under the leadership of @POTUS, we’ll continue to invest in our workforce and ensure high-skilled job opportunities go to American Workers FIRST!”
The White House also shared the news report on the investigations, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posting on X, “Trump admin reveals over 100 investigations into H-1B abuses as it pledges ‘every resource’ to protect US jobs”
It is the most recent step in a slew of initiatives aimed at targeting the H-1B visa programme by Republican leaders and the Trump administration.
US President Donald Trump issued a decree in September requiring new H-1B visa applicants to pay a $100,000 fee.
Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, declared in October that he was ordering the state’s Board of Governors to stop using H-1B visas at all public universities, stating that Floridians should take over jobs currently occupied by visa holders.
“Why are we bringing people in to assess our accreditation on an H-1B visa? We can’t do that with our own people?” DeSantis said, adding that the practice amounts to “cheap labour” and calling on university leaders to reassess hiring practices.
A few days later, the White House reaffirmed that “American workers first” is President Donald Trump’s top goal when it comes to revamping the H-1B visa programme and promised to defend against litigation brought against the administration’s crackdown.
Lawmakers have voiced strong opposition to the administration’s H-1B visa policy, and two significant lawsuits have been filed in court, including one by the largest business group in the nation, the US Chamber of Commerce.
Five US legislators urged Trump to reevaluate his September 19th announcement on H-1B visas because of its “potentially negative impacts” on the US-India relationship in a letter dated October 30.
Congresswoman Julie Johnson, Congressmen Salud Carbajal, Derek Tran, and Ami Bera co-signed the letter. The letter was not signed by any Republican lawmakers.
They defended the H-1B programme, highlighting how “many of America’s most successful companies were founded or led by former H-1B holders” who create “new businesses and jobs and keep the United States at the forefront of technological progress.”
Due to a significant backlog in approvals and a large number of talented immigrants from India, more than 70% of all H1-B visas granted in 2024 went to individuals who were born in India.
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Photo: IANS
–IANS
