Trump's administration launches a historic offensive to protect American workers and eradicate fraud in the H-1B program

President Donald Trump's administration has launched one of the largest labor control campaigns in decades, aimed at ending abuses of the H-1B visa program and prioritizing jobs for American citizens.

Leading this initiative is Secretary of Labor, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who has taken on an unprecedented role by personally signing investigations opened against companies suspected of fraud and abuse in the foreign worker hiring system.

"We're using all the Department's tools to eradicate H-1B visa abuse and protect jobs for highly qualified Americans," Chavez-DeRemer stated. "President Trump has made it clear that American workers are the priority, and we'll fulfill that mission."

The offensive, known as "Project Firewall," was announced in September shortly after Trump signed a presidential proclamation ordering a reduction in fraud and the exclusion of foreign workers from entry-level jobs intended for American graduates.

The measure also introduced a one-time fee of $100,000 per H-1B application, designed to discourage the mass exploitation of the program by large technology corporations.

In just six weeks, the Department of Labor (DOL) had already initiated 175 active investigations, revealing illegal practices that directly affect American employees. Among the irregularities detected are:

• Hiring foreign workers at salaries far below those of their American counterparts.
   
• Nonexistent job positions declared in visa applications.
   
• Lack of notification to authorities when contracts were terminated or working conditions were changed.

According to the Wage and Hour Division (WHD), the companies involved owe more than $15 million in unpaid wages, and the figure could increase as more cases are uncovered. In many incidents, foreign employees didn't even know what their actual job was, showing the magnitude of the deception.

The H-1B program, which for years has been criticized by unions and economists, has allowed large companies to replace American workers with cheaper foreign labor, mostly from India and China.

In 2024, more than 70% of H-1B visas were granted to Indian citizens, which, according to experts, has contributed to a distortion of the labor market to the detriment of American professionals, many of whom have experience and families who depend on their jobs.

Recent studies confirm these practices. Researchers analyzed H-1B data from HCL Technologies, one of the largest Indian outsourcing firms, and found that the company paid up to 47% less to its H-1B visa workers than to American employees, despite promising otherwise in its official applications. It is estimated that HCL alone saves at least $95 million annually with this model.

For Secretary Chavez-DeRemer, these figures justify the forcefulness of the plan. "We can't allow companies to deceive the government or exploit workers, whether they're American or foreign. Above all, we can't allow our citizens to continue being displaced in their own country," she stated.