Trump launches 100 investigations into H-1B program
Trump’s latest move adds to a growing series of Republican-led efforts aiming to tighten and scrutinize the H-1B visa program.
Washington: The US Department of Labour (DOL) has launched at least 175 investigations into potential abuses within the H-1B visa programme, marking one of the most sweeping crackdowns on the foreign worker visa system under the Trump administration, Fox News reported on Friday.
The new initiative — dubbed “Project Firewall” — was rolled out in September to identify and penalize companies suspected of exploiting the programme. The H-1B system allows US employers to hire foreign professionals in specialized fields such as information technology, engineering, and healthcare. But according to administration officials, many firms have allegedly misused the programme to replace American workers with cheaper foreign labour.
“The Department of Labour is using every resource at our disposal to put a stop to H-1B abuse and protect American jobs,” said Labour Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer in a post on X.
The latest move represents yet another step in a growing list of measures by the Trump administration and Republican leaders aimed at tightening oversight of the H-1B programme. Critics argue that the programme has become a loophole for corporations to cut costs, while supporters insist it remains vital to innovation and the US economy.
In September, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation imposing a $100,000 fee on all new H-1B applications — a drastic increase meant to discourage misuse. The move sparked immediate backlash from the tech industry, which relies heavily on foreign talent to meet its workforce needs.
A month later, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis took the issue further, directing the state’s Board of Governors to phase out H-1B visa usage across public universities. He questioned why academic institutions depended on foreign visa holders for administrative and academic roles that he said should be filled by Florida residents.
“Why are we bringing people in to assess our accreditation on an H-1B visa?” DeSantis asked. “We can’t do that with our own people?” He called the practice a form of “cheap labour” and urged universities to prioritize local hiring.
However, the administration’s aggressive approach has not gone unchallenged. Legal experts and business organizations have criticized the policy as short-sighted and economically damaging. Two major lawsuits, including one filed by the US Chamber of Commerce, argue that the new restrictions violate federal law and threaten America’s competitiveness in global innovation.
Meanwhile, a group of five US lawmakers wrote to President Trump on October 30, urging him to reconsider the September 19 proclamation, warning it could harm India-US relations and disrupt the technology sector. The letter, co-signed by Congressmen Ami Bera, Salud Carbajal, Derek Tran, and Congresswoman Julie Johnson, pointed out that no Republican joined the appeal.
The lawmakers emphasized that “many of America’s most successful companies were founded or led by former H-1B holders,” who have gone on to create jobs and drive economic growth. They warned that shutting doors on skilled immigrants would only push talent toward competitor nations.
India remains the single largest source of H-1B workers — accounting for over 70 percent of approved visas in 2024. A large portion of these approvals were delayed due to backlogs and a surge in applications from highly skilled Indian professionals.
As investigations unfold, the Trump administration maintains that its goal is not to eliminate the programme but to ensure it serves its original purpose — filling genuine skill gaps without displacing American workers. Yet, for thousands of foreign professionals and tech firms watching closely, “Project Firewall” has already sent a powerful signal that the rules of America’s skilled visa game are changing fast.