Trump admin reveals over 100 investigations into H-1B abuses as it pledges 'every resource' to protect US jobs

FIRST ON FOX The Department of Labor revealed it has launched at least ongoing investigations targeting expected abuses within the H- B visa plan as part of its mission to protect American jobs and ensure only necessary foreign workers are employed in the U S The DOL launched Project Firewall in September to ensure that employers prioritize qualified Americans for job positions and do not abuse the H B visa effort which allows U S companies to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations The aggressive federal crackdown on promising abuse of the activity includes Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer personally certifying the initiation of investigations which is a mechanism that has never been used by the department before Fox Digital learned The Labor Department is using every fund at the moment at our disposal to put a stop to H- B visa abuse and for the first time I am personally certifying investigations into suspected violations to better protect American jobs Chavez-DeRemer notified Fox News Digital in a message TRUMP S H- B VISA REORGANIZATION PLAN REQUIREMENTS TO PUT AMERICANS FIRST Under the leadership of President Trump we will continue to invest in our workforce ensuring high-skilled job opportunities go to American workers first The DOL's September announcement was launched the same day President Donald Trump signed a proclamation that imposed a one-time fee on H- B visa petitions The White House previously recounted Fox News Digital that the fee works to prevent companies from spamming the system and driving down wages with cheap foreign labor while simultaneously promoting American businesses who veritably want to bring high-skilled workers to the U S The Department of Labor could not provide details on the specifics of the current investigations which account for over million in calculated back wages to workers but revealed to Fox Digital that it has uncovered a bounty of concerns The investigations have uncovered that chosen foreign workers with advanced degrees are paid far less than what's promoted in a job description which the DOL disclosed drives down wages for visa-holders and American workers alike while also forcing American employees with the same qualification to accept lower wages in order to stay competitive Other investigations ascertained that employers did not even notify U S Citizenship and Immigration Services when an H- B visa holder was terminated or uncovered key lag times between a termination and an employer notifying the agency that oversees the U S 's immigration system WALMART HALTS HIRING WORKERS WHO NEED H- B VISAS AFTER TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IMPOSES NEW FEEAt the heart of other investigations Fox News Digital learned are documents filed by employers with the DOL in order to employ H- B holders as well as other visa programs called Labor Condition Applications LCA Employers are required to give notice to American workers before hiring H-IB workers when filing an LCA which is part of a larger effort to ensure American workers get first dibs on jobs as well as accurately describe the job an employee will work and detailing the employee's wage Investigators unveiled that work sites listed on the LCA documents did not exist or that workers were unaware of the jobs they were supposedly assigned to perform as laid out in the applications Other investigations ascertained that employees were paid less than what was detailed in an LCA or that employers were sloppily copying and pasting job notices for American workers that had little connection to the job described in the LCA CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPOther investigations uncovered particular employees took part in benching which is when H- B visa holders are not paid anything when they are in-between evolving work projects Fox Digital located Various tech companies have embraced the H- B visa operation which allows U S companies to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations but critics of the venture say H- B holders are often chosen over U S citizens for jobs One of the reasons for this is that foreign workers are tied to their respective employers via the H- B visa as a company is required to sponsor the visa and therefore quitting the job could ultimately see foreign workers losing their visa and their ability to legally remain in the country Justin Vianello CEO of Skillstorm narrated Fox News Digital last month that the work visa plan in the United States is a three-headed monster that demands to be drastically reformed in order to not leave American workers behind Earlier this year the Trump administration unveiled a proposal designed to nudge employers toward offering higher salaries or reserving H- B petitions for jobs that require advanced skills The rule change formally published in the Federal Register came just days after President Donald Trump signed a proclamation introducing a fee for H- B visa applications The fee a one-time charge applying only to new H- B petitions will take effect in the next annual lottery the system the U S leadership uses to select applications once the annual visa cap is reached The whole idea is no more will these Big Tech companies or other big companies train foreign workers They have to pay the administration then they have to pay the employee so it s just not economical Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick recounted as Trump signed the order