Trump Administration Targets H-1B Visa Abuse, Puts India in Spotlight

The Trump administration’s Department of Labour has launched a new social media campaign accusing companies of misusing the H-1B visa program to replace young American workers with cheaper foreign hires, prominently pointing to India as the biggest beneficiary.

In a post on X, the department said, “Young Americans have had the American Dream stolen from them, as jobs have been replaced by foreign workers due to rampant abuse of the H-1B visa.” It added that, under the leadership of President Trump and Labour Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, the administration is “holding companies accountable” and “recapturing the American Dream for the American people.”

The campaign aligns with “Project Firewall,” a new Labour Department initiative launched in September 2025 to audit companies’ H-1B compliance. The project aims to prevent corporations from replacing US workers with lower-paid foreign professionals, particularly in technology and engineering sectors.

A 51-second promotional video accompanying the post contrasts idyllic 1950s images of the American Dream with modern statistics, claiming that 72% of H-1B approvals go to Indian nationals. It credits Trump and Chavez-DeRemer for prioritising domestic hiring and promises a “new opportunity for young Americans.” The video concludes with the message: “Through Project Firewall, we’re taking action to ensure companies prioritise Americans in hiring and recapture the American Dream.”

Officials say the initiative reflects the administration’s revived “America First” jobs agenda, focused on protecting local employment and auditing firms suspected of wage undercutting. A Labour Department spokesperson stated, “Every job that belongs to an American should go to an American first. We’re not against legal immigration, we’re against its exploitation.”

While the ad doesn’t name countries, its data and visuals make India the clear focal point, as Indian professionals receive about 70–75% of all H-1B visas issued by the US.