Sessions, Durbin Statement on Labor Department Response to Call for Investigation into Abuses Within H-1B Visa Program

Press Release

U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Immigration and the National Interest, joined with his fellow Judiciary Committee member Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) in releasing the following joint statement today regarding the Department of Labor's response to concerns they raised about reports of U.S. companies using the H-1B visa program to cut wage costs by laying off American workers.

"We appreciate the Department of Labor's reply to our inquiry. We will continue pressing the Administration to use its legal authority to stop the displacement of American workers wherever possible and to conduct a thorough investigation of responsible parties.

This response confirms that companies can often hire H-1B guest workers to replace American workers without fear of reprisal and that Congress must act to strengthen protections for U.S. workers and to make explicit that companies cannot engage in these practices. The law must be written to clearly prohibit replacing American workers with H-1B visa workers."

On April 9th, Durbin and Sessions led a bipartisan group of ten United States Senators in calling on three federal agencies--the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Labor--to investigate abuses within the H-1B visa program. The Senators are still awaiting responses from the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice.

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