Trump admin crackdown on H-1B programme, more than 175 investigations launched

Washington: At least 175 investigations have been launched by the United States Department of Labour (DOL) into potential abuses within the H-1B visa programme, as part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to crack down on the foreign worker visa system, Fox News reported on Friday.

The initiative, called "Project Firewall," was launched in September to target companies that are allegedly exploiting the visa system, which allows US firms to hire foreign workers in speciality occupations such as information 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 news report on the investigations was also shared by the White House, 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 latest measure in a series of actions by the Trump administration and Republican leaders aimed at targeting the H-1B visa programme. This comes after US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation in September imposing a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa applications.

In October, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that he was directing the state's Board of Governors to end the use of H-1B visas across state universities, saying that Florida residents should fill positions currently held 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.

Days later, the White House reiterated that President Donald Trump's priority in reforming the H‑1B visa programme is to put "American workers first," vowing to fight lawsuits filed against the administration's crackdown.

The administration's H-1B visa policy has faced broad opposition from lawmakers and legal challenges, including two major lawsuits. One of the lawsuits was filed by the US Chamber of Commerce, the country's biggest business organisation.

On October 30, five US lawmakers wrote a letter to Trump, urging him to reconsider his September 19th proclamation on H-1B visas due to its "potentially negative impacts" on the India-US relationship.

The letter was co-signed by Congressmen Ami Bera, Salud Carbajal, Derek Tran and Congresswoman Julie Johnson. No Republican lawmaker signed the letter.

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, job creation, and keep the United States at the forefront of technological progress."

India-born workers accounted for over 70 per cent of the total approved H-1 B visas in 2024, primarily due to a large backlog of approvals and a high number of skilled immigrants from India.

(With IANS inputs)