President Donald Trump's administration has been cracking down not just on illegal immigration, but also on the widespread abuses and exploitation of the various legal avenues of immigration, such as H-1B visas for purportedly highly-skilled foreign workers.

Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer confirmed this week that she has personally certified nearly 200 investigations into alleged abuse and fraud within the H-1B visa system, according to Breitbart.

The concerted effort, known as "Project Firewall," is intended to "combat discrimination against American workers," and was launched in accordance with a presidential proclamation on the issue earlier this year that imposed a steep new fee on H-1B visa applicants.

Trump takes action against H-1B abuses

In September, President Trump proclaimed the "Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers," which decried the widespread abuse and exploitation of the H-1B visa program by U.S. businesses to replace U.S. citizen employees with foreign workers, who often work for significantly lower wages.

Adding insult to economic injury, in many cases, the American workers were forced by the companies to train the imported workers who would eventually replace them after they were laid off.

To counter this abuse of the system, Trump imposed a $100,000 fee on U.S. companies for each H-1B visa application submitted, which presumably will ensure that the foreign workers actually bring needed skills and value to the business that is otherwise unavailable among American workers.

"Project Firewall" launched

Following that proclamation, the Department of Labor announced the launch of an H-1B visa enforcement initiative known as "Project Firewall," which will ostensibly "safeguard the rights, wages, and job opportunities of highly skilled American workers by ensuring employers prioritize qualified Americans when hiring workers and holding employers accountable if they abuse the H-1B visa process."

At that time, Chavez-DeRemer said, "The Trump Administration is standing by our commitment to end practices that leave Americans in the dust. As we reestablish economic dominance, we must protect our most valuable resource: the American worker."

"Launching Project Firewall will help us ensure no employers are abusing H-1B visas at the expense of our workforce," she added. "By rooting out fraud and abuse, the Department of Labor and our federal partners will ensure that highly skilled jobs go to Americans first."

Crackdown is working

In an update to Breitbart on the progress of that initiative thus far, Chavez-DeRemer revealed that, for the first time in history, she has personally signed off on at least 175 investigations of alleged H-1B visa abuse and fraud.

"We are deploying every tool at the department’s disposal to root out H-1B visa abuse and safeguard high-skilled American jobs," Chavez-DeRemer told the outlet. "I am committed to ensuring accountability within the H-1B process, which is why I am personally certifying investigations. President Trump has made it clear that American workers come first, and we will fulfill that mission."

A similar update was provided this week to the Daily Wire, which shared that at least 175 investigations had been opened, representing approximately $15 million in lost wages for American workers displaced by H-1B visa workers.

"In record time, President Trump has done more than any president in modern history to tighten our immigration laws and put American workers first," White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said. "The $100,000 payment required to supplement new H-1B visa applications is a significant first step to stop abuses of the system and ensure American workers are no longer replaced by lower-paid foreign labor."

"The Trump administration is protecting American workers by restoring accountability in the H-1B process, ensuring that it is used to bring in only the highest-skilled foreign workers in specialty occupations and not low-wage workers that will displace Americans," Rogers added.