'American dream for Americans': Trump administration releases video blaming companies for H-1B visa abuse

• The Trump administration’s new video accuses companies of misusing the H-1B visa program to hire low-paid foreign workers.
• The campaign claims 72 per cent of H-1B visa holders are Indians, followed by 12 per cent Chinese.
• “Project Firewall” aims to investigate employers and penalize those violating H-1B regulations.
• President Trump’s executive order introduced a $100,000 fee for new H-1B visa petitions.
• Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has ordered state universities to stop hiring foreign workers under H-1B visas.

According to the video, 72 per cent of H-1B visa holders are from India, followed by 12 per cent from China. It blames 'politicians and bureaucrats' for allowing this system to persist, alleging that American workers have been sidelined. “Under the President of the United States and Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s leadership, we’re holding companies accountable for their abuse and recapturing the American Dream for the American people,” the narrator declares, over visuals contrasting the optimism of 1950s America with modern labor statistics.

The video promotes Project Firewall, a new enforcement initiative by the Department of Labor launched in September. The project's goal is to ensure employers prioritize US citizens over foreign workers in hiring decisions. Companies found violating H-1B program rules could face severe penalties, including repayment of back wages, fines, or suspension from future visa sponsorship.

President Donald Trump has also taken policy action by signing an executive order imposing a $100k fee on new H-1B petitions, describing it as a step toward reducing dependence on foreign labor.

Meanwhile, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced a similar push at the state level, directing public universities to end the hiring of foreign workers under the H-1B program. “We will not tolerate H-1B abuse in Florida institutions,” DeSantis said, urging universities to produce more qualified American graduates instead.

The combined federal and state measures signal a tougher enforcement era for U.S. employers relying on foreign talent, with the administration positioning itself as the defender of American workers and the original “American Dream.”