 "The H-1B visa process involves filing a Labour Condition Application (LCA) with the US Department of Labour, which has now gone offline as a result of the shutdown. Reuters")
The US Department of Labor (DOL) has launched 175 investigations into alleged abuses of the H-1B visa program, as part of an intensified federal crackdown aimed at protecting American jobs and ensuring compliance with immigration rules.
The department’s “Project Firewall”, initiated in September, seeks to prevent US employers from hiring underpaid foreign workers for tech and engineering roles at the expense of qualified Americans.
“For the first time, I am personally certifying investigations into suspected violations to better protect American jobs,” Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer told Fox News Digital, adding that the department is using “every resource” available to stop H-1B visa abuse.
The move aligns with the Trump administration’s broader efforts to reform the visa system and tighten oversight of immigration-related employment.
The DOL also released a new social media campaign accusing companies of misusing the H-1B program to replace young Americans with foreign workers, calling the practice a “theft of the American Dream.” The ad highlighted India as the largest beneficiary of the visa scheme.
“Under the leadership of the President and Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, we’re holding companies accountable for their abuse and recapturing the American Dream for the American people,” the department said.