The White House on Thursday (23) said the Trump administration will 'fight in court' to defend its latest changes to the H-1B visa program, arguing that the reforms aim to protect American workers and address long-standing fraud in the system.
Press Secretary Karolina Leavitt told reporters that the president 'wants to refine this system,' calling it one that has 'been spammed with fraud basically and that's driven down American wages.' She added that the administration considers its new policies both lawful and necessary, despite ongoing lawsuits from tech industry groups and universities.
“The President’s main priority has always been to put American workers first and also to strengthen our visa system,” Leavitt said. “These actions are lawful. They are necessary, and we’ll continue to fight this battle in court.”
Her comments come as tech companies and research institutions challenge the administration’s new restrictions on the H-1B visa program, which is widely used to hire skilled foreign workers, many of them from India. The lawsuits claim that tightening eligibility rules and altering the lottery system violates federal procedures and could harm U.S. competitiveness.
Leavitt dismissed any contradictions in Trump’s earlier statements, saying the reforms are intended to “strengthen” the program, not end it.
The H-1B visa continues to be crucial for US-India economic ties, with nearly 70 per cent of recipients being Indian professionals in tech and engineering. Any policy change in Washington is closely followed in New Delhi and by American companies that depend on Indian talent for innovation and product development.
Experts say the latest reforms, which increase scrutiny of job roles and limit outsourcing, extend Trump’s “Hire American” approach. However, business groups warn that the move could discourage skilled global professionals from working in the U.S.
The new policies have triggered what is expected to be a long legal battle between the administration and tech industry associations. While Leavitt did not discuss details of the lawsuits, she reiterated that the government is defending fairness and integrity in the visa process.
