The Department of Labor (DOL) in the United States issued a statement on Monday, November 24, titled “Collaboration for Project Firewall to Strengthen Federal Enforcement Efforts Against Discriminatory Hiring Practices,” commending the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for its efforts to prevent employment discrimination against American workers.
EEOC is a federal agency responsible for enforcing laws that prohibit employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age (40 and over), disability, or genetic information. The agency investigates discrimination complaints, attempts to resolve them through mediation or settlement, and files lawsuits in court when settlements cannot be reached.
Recently, EEOC released new and updated educational materials emphasizing enhanced legal protections to prevent national origin discrimination. Discriminatory practices include limiting job vacancies to H-1B visa holders through recruitment advertisements, thereby excluding American workers.
Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer praised EEOC’s actions. The announcement highlighted how EEOC’s actions align with the Department of Labor’s “Project Firewall,” aimed at strengthening enforcement related to H-1B visas, protecting the rights, wages, and job opportunities of high-skilled American workers, and ensuring employers prioritize qualified U.S. citizens in their hiring practices.
Through “Project Firewall,” the Department of Labor will share information and coordinate with relevant government agencies within the legal framework to actively combat illegal discrimination against American workers, utilizing the full power of the federal government to enforce the law properly.
The statement commended the coordinated efforts of EEOC and the Department of Labor in implementing “Project Firewall,” ensuring fair competition and opportunities for American workers.
“We will continue to collaborate with federal partners under President Trump’s leadership to eliminate discrimination and safeguard employment opportunities for American workers,” stated the announcement.
Deputy Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling noted, “By sharing data, clarifying employer obligations, and coordinating enforcement tools, we can better prevent discriminatory recruitment practices and uphold the integrity of the labor market.”
EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas emphasized the importance of ongoing collaboration with various federal government departments to protect the American workforce, given the scale of illegal anti-American discrimination.
In addition to working with EEOC, the Department of Labor is collaborating with federal agencies including the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
This move marks a significant step by the Trump administration in regulating H-1B visas and could have far-reaching implications for the development of the U.S. high-tech industry.
Established in 1990, the H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa created by the U.S. Congress under the Immigration Act to allow American employers to temporarily hire foreign high-skilled, high-tech professionals to fill expertise gaps in the U.S. labor market, promote technological innovation, maintain global competitiveness, and leadership.
Labor Secretary Chavez-DeRemer stated in an interview on November 11 that the Department’s “Project Firewall” had investigated 175 potential cases of H-1B visa misuse. She emphasized that employers must first advertise job openings to American workers, demonstrate the unavailability of required talent in the U.S. labor market, and then proceed to hire foreign workers through the H-1B visa program.
According to enforcement guidelines, violations could lead to fines of up to approximately $51,500, and intentional violations could result in bans on submitting new visa applications for multiple years.
Given that most U.S. companies do not publicly disclose comprehensive data on the ratio of foreign-born and U.S.-born workers, there is currently no authoritative, public, real-time complete data available for the entire U.S. technology industry.