White House Defends H-1B Visa Overhaul; Reasserts ‘America First’ Commitment

The White House has doubled down on President Donald Trump’s ‘America First’ policy as it moves ahead with a sweeping overhaul of the H-1B visa programme, promising to fight a growing number of legal challenges from business and labour groups.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the President remains firmly focused on protecting domestic employment and preventing exploitation of the visa system.

“The President’s main priority has always been to put American workers first,” Leavitt said on Thursday. “For too long, the H-1B visa system has been plagued by fraud, driving down American wages. These actions are lawful, necessary, and the administration will continue to defend them in court.”

Her comments followed new guidance issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which clarified aspects of the $100,000 H-1B visa application fee.

The DHS outlined several exemptions, including for workers switching from other visa categories such as F-1 student status, or for those applying to amend, extend, or change their stay within the United States.

Existing Visa Holders Unaffected

The updated policy ensures that current H-1B visa holders will not face restrictions on travel to or from the US. The new rules apply only to first-time applicants outside the country without valid H-1B visas. The government has also launched an online portal for payment submissions related to new applications.

The US Chamber of Commerce, the country’s largest business organisation, has filed a lawsuit calling the fee ‘unlawful’ and claiming it will harm American competitiveness.

The Chamber argued that the policy would raise labour costs and make it harder for companies to hire highly skilled foreign professionals.

The lawsuit follows another case brought earlier this month by unions, educators, and religious groups, marking the second major domestic challenge to the administration’s visa reforms.

When President Trump signed the proclamation in September, he said the changes aimed to encourage employers to hire American workers.

Supporters of the reform claim it will strengthen the domestic workforce, while critics warn it could stifle innovation and limit access to specialised talent vital to the US technology sector.

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