by Lubna Kably at The Times of India
The US Department of Labor (DOL) has launched ‘Project Firewall’, a sweeping enforcement initiative aimed at curbing misuse of the H-1B visa program and protecting American jobs, particularly in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. The objective is to ensure employers prioritize qualified Americans when hiring workers and to hold violators accountable.
Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said the measure would ensure “highly skilled jobs go to Americans first.” For the first time in history, the Secretary of Labor will personally certify investigations into suspected H-1B violations, which officials described as a “historic action.” Employers found guilty could face penalties ranging from repayment of back wages to affected American workers, fines, and even debarment from future use of the program for a specified period.
The DOL said it will coordinate with agencies including the Justice Department, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and US Citizenship and Immigration Services in enforcing the initiative.
Project Firewall was launched alongside a recent presidential proclamation by Donald Trump, which alleged that employers were exploiting the H-1B system to replace American workers with cheaper foreign labour. “The large-scale replacement of American workers through systemic abuse of the H-1B program has undermined both our economic and national security,” Trump declared.
According to the proclamation,…
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