U.S. Launches 175 Investigations Into H-1B Visa Abuse Under Project Firewall
US launches crackdown on H-1B abuse under Trump.
The U.S. Department of Labor has unleashed 175 aggressive investigations into H-1B visa abuse through Project Firewall, a bold September 2025 initiative personally certified by Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer to safeguard American jobs. The program targets employers who misuse the H-1B system—designed for highly skilled foreign workers in fields like tech and engineering—to undercut U.S. talent. This crackdown follows President Trump’s September proclamation imposing a steep $100,000 one-time fee on H-1B petitions, a deterrent aimed at curbing exploitation and forcing companies to prioritize qualified American citizens in hiring.
Investigators have exposed shocking wage violations, with foreign workers holding advanced degrees being paid far below advertised salaries—sometimes less than half—dragging down pay standards for both visa holders and U.S. professionals. This suppression forces American workers with similar qualifications to accept lower wages just to stay competitive, eroding fair labor practices. Additionally, many employers failed to notify USCIS when terminating H-1B employees, often delaying reports by months, leaving workers in legal and financial limbo. So far, the probes have identified over $15 million in back wages owed, highlighting systemic wage theft.
Central to the violations is the Labor Condition Application (LCA), a required form where employers must post public job notices for American workers before hiring foreign talent. DOL uncovered fake work sites, H-1B employees unaware of their assigned roles, and recycled job postings with no connection to the actual position. Some companies engaged in “benching”—refusing to pay visa holders between projects—while others falsified LCAs to bypass transparency rules, flooding the market with cheaper labor under false pretenses.
Also Read: ‘Don’t Shut Out Indian Talent’: Congressmen Urge Trump to Protect H-1B Pathway
Chavez-DeRemer has declared an all-out war, vowing to deploy “every resource” to end the abuse and calling it a direct attack on the “American Dream.” A new DOL social media campaign accuses rogue firms of “replacing young Americans with foreign workers” through H-1B loopholes, with India—by far the largest beneficiary—frequently highlighted. The message is clear: exploitation will no longer be tolerated.
As the investigations deepen, violating companies face severe consequences: hefty fines, mandatory back pay, and bans from the H-1B program. This sweeping enforcement is poised to reshape the visa landscape, restore wage integrity, and strengthen protections for U.S. workers in an increasingly competitive global talent war.
