Overview

• Announced on September 19, Project Firewall is a DOL-led campaign to police employer compliance across hiring, wages, and work conditions for H‑1B workers.
• Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer will personally certify investigations, signaling elevated scrutiny and direct oversight.
• DOL says outcomes may include recovery of back wages, civil monetary penalties, and employer debarment from the H‑1B program.
• Operational details remain limited, but prior enforcement suggests unannounced site visits, record audits, and challenges to job classifications and worksite practices.
• Legal and compliance advisors urge employers to tighten documentation, train HR and managers, and review staffing arrangements as the Trump administration frames the effort as protecting American workers.