Washington launches crackdown as labor dept. moves to curb H-1B misuse

New Delhi: The US Department of Labor on Friday announced that it has launched 175 investigations into what it described as potential abuses of the H-1B visa program. The move comes as the Donald Trump-led administration intensifies its crackdown on immigration and seeks to reform the H-1B program to reduce the number of foreign workers hired by US companies.

In September, the Labor Department introduced "Project Firewall” to examine compliance within the H-1B visa system. The initiative aims to prevent companies from hiring underpaid foreign workers for technology and engineering positions ahead of qualified American workers. The H-1B program allows US companies to hire skilled foreign professionals for specialized roles.

Amid the ongoing crackdown, US Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer is reportedly personally certifying the initiation of these investigations, according to Fox News. "The Labor Department is using every resource at our disposal to put a stop to H-1B visa abuse, and for the first time, I am personally certifying investigations into suspected violations to better protect American jobs,” Fox News Digital quoted Chavez-DeRemer as saying.

The Department of Labor recently launched a new social media campaign accusing certain businesses of exploiting the H-1B visa program by hiring foreign workers to replace young Americans.

The ad specifically highlighted India as the largest beneficiary of the H-1B visa program. In its post, the department claimed that the "American Dream” had been "stolen” from young Americans, stating: "Jobs have been replaced by foreign workers due to rampant abuse of the H-1B visa.” It added, "Under the leadership of the President of the United States and Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, we are holding companies accountable for their abuse and recapturing the American Dream for the American people.”