DOJ & DOL Announce Joint Initiative Concerning Temporary Worker Visa Programs

On July 31, 2018, the Department of Justice and Department of Labor announced a joint initiative to crack down on employers “that prefer to hire temporary visa workers over qualified U.S. workers.” This new partnership, memorialized in a memorandum of understanding between the agencies, is consistent with President Trump’s “America first” agenda and is responsive to longstanding complaints from some quarters that temporary worker visa programs are overused to the detriment of U.S. workers. The two federal agencies have committed to greater information sharing, cross referrals, and cross training.