WASHINGTON — One day after President Donald Trump publicly defended the need for skilled foreign workers under the H-1B visa program, the White House moved to clarify its position, insisting the administration remains committed to curbing alleged abuses and tightening immigration rules.
In a statement shared with the Daily Wire and posted by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said Wednesday that the administration is focused on “reforming the immigration system” while prioritizing American workers.
“In record time, President Trump has done more than any president in modern history to tighten our immigration laws and put American workers first,” Rogers said. She added that the recently imposed requirement for a $100,000 supplemental payment on new H-1B applications represents “a significant first step” to deter misuse of the program and prevent U.S. workers from being replaced by lower-paid foreign labor.
The clarification followed Trump’s comments in an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham on Tuesday. When asked whether his administration intended to deprioritize H-1B visas, Trump replied, “You do have to bring in talent.” After Ingraham argued, “We have plenty of talent,” Trump countered, “No, you don’t,” adding that certain specialized skills cannot simply be filled by unemployed Americans. “You can’t take people off an unemployment line and say, I’m going to put you into a factory. We’re going to make missiles,” he said.
The administration has been ramping up enforcement actions targeting the visa category. Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor announced it had opened at least 175 investigations into suspected H-1B program abuses. The effort, known as Project Firewall, began in September with a focus on companies accused of misusing the visa to undercut wages or circumvent hiring rules in fields such as information technology, engineering, and healthcare.
“The Department of Labor is using every resource at our disposal to put a stop to H-1B abuse and protect American jobs,” Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said in a statement on X.
The crackdown has also extended into state policy. In October, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis directed the state university system to phase out H-1B visa use entirely, arguing that positions held by visa recipients should be filled by Florida residents.
The White House reiterated last week that Trump’s top priority in reshaping the H-1B system is putting American workers first, even as the policy faces growing legal pushback. Two major lawsuits have been filed against the administration’s measures, including one by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Concerns have also emerged on Capitol Hill. On October 31, five lawmakers sent a letter to Trump urging him to reconsider his September 19 proclamation restricting H-1B access, warning that the policy could have “potentially negative impacts” on U.S.-India relations.
Indian nationals accounted for more than 70 percent of all approved H-1B visas in 2024, driven by a large backlog of applications and India’s high concentration of skilled professionals seeking employment in the United States. (Source: IANS)
