- A new video by the US Department of Labour accuses companies of H-1B visa 'abuse'
- 72% of H-1B visa holders are Indians, followed by 12% Chinese, according to the video
- Project Firewall was launched to enforce H-1B compliance and protect American workers
A new video released by the Trump administration's Department of Labour on social media accused companies of abusing the H-1B visa program. It highlights that 72 per cent of visa holders are Indians, followed by Chinese at 12 per cent.
According to the video, the "American Dream" was stolen from Americans, and jobs were unfairly given to lower-paid foreign workers. The video blames "politicians and bureaucrats" for allowing companies to misuse the H-1B visa.
"Under the President of the United States and Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer leadership, we're holding companies accountable for their abuse and recapturing the American Dream for the AMERICAN PEOPLE", the narrator says in the video.
The visuals in the video involve 'happy' clips of people, families and homes from the 1950s juxtaposed with modern statistics.
What Is Project Firewall?
The Department of Labour launched Project Firewall in September, an H-1B enforcement initiative that would safeguard the rights, wages and job opportunities of American workers by making sure employers prioritise them over foreign workers.
Employers will be investigated through Project Firewall to maximise H-1B program compliance. Any violations will result in collection of back wages owed to affected workers, assessment of civil money penalties, and/or debarment from future use of the H-1B program for a prescribed period of time, per a press release by the Department of Labour.
The 51-second video referenced the initiative and ended with a tagline that said, "Through Project Firewall, we're taking action to hold companies accountable for H-1B abuse and ensure they prioritise Americans in the hiring process, recapturing the American Dream for the American people."
H-1B Visa Changes
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in September that added a new $100,000 fee for H-1B petitions, describing it as a step to curb dependence on foreign workers.
Employers planning to hire new foreign workers will need to pay the $100,000 fee at the time of submitting an H-1B petition.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Wednesday ordered institutions in the state to hire Americans to fill university jobs and end the practice of importing foreign workers on work visas.
"Universities across the country are importing foreign workers on H-1B visas instead of hiring Americans who are qualified and available to do the job," DeSantis said on Wednesday.
"We will not tolerate H-1B abuse in Florida institutions. That's why I have directed the Florida Board of Governors to end this practice," he said.
He added that if universities are struggling to find qualified US citizens to fill the jobs, they should evaluate their academic programs to determine why they are unable to produce graduates fit for the positions.
