'To protect the American worker': Trump admin launches Project Firewall to stop H-1B visa 'abuse'

Employers in the US will face strict checks on compliance as the Trump administration rolled out an H-1B “enforcement initiative” to “protect” American workers.

With new H-1B visa rules coming into force, the US Department of Labor announced the launch of Project Firewall to ensure employers “prioritise” skilled American workers and are held accountable for any “abuse” of the visa system.

According to a press release on 19 September, the department said the initiative is designed to “protect American jobs through federal agency partnerships” and to “safeguard the rights, wages, and job opportunities” of highly skilled US workers.

US Labour Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said, “The Trump administration is committed to ending practices that leave Americans behind. As we rebuild economic strength, we must protect our most valuable resource: the American worker. Project Firewall will ensure employers cannot misuse H-1B visas at the expense of our workforce. By tackling fraud and abuse, we will make sure highly skilled jobs go to Americans first.”

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The department added that its wage and hour division will provide “compliance assistance resources” to help employers follow the law.

It also said employers and workers can contact the division on its toll-free helpline, 1-866-4-US-WAGE (487-9243), with any queries.