Washington: The US Department of Labor (DOL) has opened at least 175 investigations into possible abuses of the H-1B visa program, as part of the Trump administration’s broader crackdown on the foreign worker visa system, Fox News reported on Friday.
The initiative — called “Project Firewall” — was launched in September to identify companies allegedly misusing the visa system, which enables US firms to hire skilled foreign professionals in fields such as IT, engineering, and healthcare.
“The Department of Labor is using every resource at our disposal to stop H-1B abuse and protect American jobs,”
said Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer in a post on X, adding,
“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 amplified the announcement, 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.”
The investigations mark the latest step in the Trump administration’s ongoing effort to overhaul the H-1B visa system.
In September, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation imposing a $100,000 fee on new H-1B applications. A month later, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis directed the state’s Board of Governors to phase out the use of H-1B visas in state universities, arguing that such positions should be filled by Florida residents.
“Why are we bringing in people on H-1B visas to do accreditation work? We can do that with our own people,” DeSantis said, calling the practice “cheap labor.”
Soon after, the White House reiterated that Trump’s top priority in reforming the H-1B system is to put “American workers first,” vowing to defend the policy against multiple lawsuits filed by business groups.
The administration’s measures have faced significant legal and political pushback, including two major lawsuits, one filed by the US Chamber of Commerce, the country’s largest business association.
On October 30, five Democratic lawmakers — Ami Bera, Salud Carbajal, Derek Tran, Julie Johnson, and one other — wrote to President Trump urging him to reconsider the visa fee proclamation, warning of its “potentially negative impacts” on India–US relations. No Republican lawmakers signed the letter.
They defended the H-1B program, noting that “many of America’s most successful companies were founded or led by former H-1B holders” who have driven innovation, job creation, and technological leadership.
In 2024, India-born professionals accounted for over 70% of all approved H-1B visas, reflecting both the large pool of skilled Indian workers and persistent processing backlogs.
