Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) is pressing the Trump administration to sharply step up policing of the H-1B visa program, warning that major technology companies are laying off large numbers of American workers while still bringing in tens of thousands of H-1B employees. In a new letter dated December 5, 2025, Gallego urges federal agencies to dramatically expand investigations into fraud and abuse and to focus on firms that have recently cut U.S. staff.
Who received the letter and what it requests
The letter was sent to:
– Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer
– U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow
– Attorney General Pam Bondi
Gallego calls for tougher oversight and enforcement of the H-1B program across the federal government. He argues that the program, originally designed to fill gaps in the American workforce, is being used by some corporations to replace U.S. workers and hold down wages.
The pattern Gallego highlights
According to Gallego, technology giants and other large employers have:
– Laid off hundreds of thousands of American employees in recent years
– Still hired more than 30,000 H-1B workers in fiscal year 2025 alone
He says this pattern raises serious questions about whether companies are truly facing shortages of skilled U.S. workers—especially among young professionals in Generation Z who report high unemployment and unstable contract work in the tech sector.
Specific questions and demands in the December 5 letter
Gallego outlines detailed questions for the three agencies, including:
- For the Department of Labor:
- How will it increase investigations into H-1B fraud and abuse?
- For USCIS:
- How will it prioritize reviews of employers that file new visa petitions after large domestic layoffs?
- For the Department of Justice:
- How will it pursue companies that may be using the H-1B system to discriminate against American workers?
He also asks how agencies will choose which companies to investigate first and urges them to give priority to firms that have:
– Conducted major layoffs, and
– Filed high numbers of H-1B petitions
Gallego argues these employers present the greatest risk of abusing the program and pushing American staff out of their jobs in favor of cheaper foreign labor.
Concerns about investigation management and transparency
Gallego raises additional procedural and accountability concerns:
– How investigations are certified and managed inside the federal bureaucracy
– How agencies will guard against corruption, delays, or political pressure when deciding which complaints move forward
– Clear reporting channels for workers who suspect abuse
– Transparent data so the public can track how often the government actually takes action against rule-breaking employers
Gallego wants not just more casework but clear, transparent processes so the public can see enforcement in action.
Double-check Form I-129 data for accuracy and consistency. In a stricter enforcement climate, errors can trigger requests for evidence and slow processing under Project Firewall.
Context: Project Firewall and presidential proclamation
The push comes as the Trump administration promotes its own enforcement effort, Project Firewall, launched in September 2025. The multi-agency initiative is meant to:
– Tighten checks on the H-1B program
– Step up worksite visits
– Increase data sharing and fraud referrals
Analysis by VisaVerge.com suggests Project Firewall reflects growing political pressure from both parties to show Washington is addressing misuse of guest worker visas.
Separately, a presidential proclamation issued by President Trump on September 19, 2025, bars certain H-1B workers from entering the United States unless their employers pay a $100,000 fee. The White House frames the measure as a way to curb abuse and protect American workers in a weak job market.
- The proclamation is set to expire 12 months after taking effect unless renewed.
- Business groups criticize the $100,000 fee as a barrier for smaller employers.
- Some worker advocates say it still leaves loopholes for deep-pocketed firms willing to pay to keep importing talent.
Gallego’s letter does not directly address the fee but underscores his concern that policy choices may remain tilted toward large corporations.
Agency workloads and legal tools mentioned
Gallego’s questions also touch on how agencies will balance enforcement with other missions:
– For Labor: handling wage standards and workplace safety
– For USCIS: processing large volumes of immigration forms, including the Form I-129 petition that employers must file to sponsor H-1B workers
Relevant resources cited in the article:
– USCIS Form I-129 page: https://www.uscis.gov/forms/all-forms/form-i-129-petition-for-a-nonimmigrant-worker
– USCIS H-1B specialty occupations page: https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/h-1b-specialty-occupations
While Gallego’s letter does not propose new legislation, it signals that some Democrats are ready to press the administration to fully use existing tools—from worksite audits to civil penalties and possible criminal referrals in the worst cases.
Impact on workers and the industry
The oversight dispute comes amid tension in the tech economy:
- Many recent graduates say they compete with experienced H-1B holders willing to relocate for jobs.
- Some American workers fear losing a role could shut them out of the industry for years as companies claim skill shortages.
- Foreign professionals on H-1B visas report anxiety: they followed rules, left home countries, and built lives around long-term projects, only to see their status tied to employers now under scrutiny.
Gallego’s challenge suggests uncertainty ahead for both domestic and foreign workers regarding the future of high-skilled jobs in the United States.
Senator Ruben Gallego pressed the Trump administration to expand enforcement of the H-1B program, citing tech layoffs alongside more than 30,000 H-1B hires in fiscal 2025. His Dec. 5 letter asks Labor, USCIS and DOJ to prioritize investigations of firms with major domestic layoffs and high H-1B petition volumes, improve transparency, and protect workers. The request arrives amid Project Firewall and a presidential proclamation imposing a $100,000 employer fee for certain H-1B entries.
