The Trump administration is imposing new barriers on H-1B workers.
Posted by Bulwark Takes, Checked
- Sources
- 3 support4 context
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 68%
Bulwark TakesAug 29, 2026
Trump’s immigration crackdown isn’t just targeting people who entered the country illegally—it’s making it harder for legal immigrants, international students, nurses, and highly skilled workers to come to and stay in the United States. Catherine Rampell and Doug Rand, former senior advisor at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, break down how the administration is shutting down legal pathways, imposing massive new barriers on H-1B workers, and driving international talent toward other countries. Listen to Doug Rand's podcast, 'The Melting Pod' — https://meltingpod.org/ A quick note: This is the kind of conversation we want to do more of at The Bulwark: bringing in people who have actually worked inside the agencies and understand how these policies …
As of 2026-08-29, the record shows the administration had already imposed or advanced new H-1B restrictions: a weighted lottery favoring higher-paid workers took effect in February 2026, a proposed rule to raise prevailing wages came in March 2026, and a $100,000 fee dated to September 2025.
This claim is in the show notes, the publisher's own words. It counts against the post, once.
This claim is about the present, so it is judged as of the day it was checked.
What we found
Supports. In February 2026 DHS replaced the random H-1B lottery with a weighted selection process, and in March 2026 DOL proposed raising H-1B prevailing wage requirements, both before the claim's posting date.[2]
Supports. A $100,000 fee on certain new H-1B applications was imposed in September 2025, before the claim was posted.[1][5]
Context. A federal district court vacated the $100,000 fee in June 2026 and blocked its collection, and an appeal is pending; this later development does not change the state of affairs on 2026-08-29.[1][5][6]
Context. The September 18, 2026 executive order and proclamation renewing the fee postdate the claim, so they show continued policy direction rather than what was in place on 2026-08-29.[3][4][7]
Sources
7 sources: 1 fact-checker, 3 primary, 3 not rated
- 1Trump extends push for $100000 H-1B visas by another yearreuters.com · fact-checker · cited for: supports, context
- 2H-1B Executive Actions in 2026 - Congress.govcongress.gov · primary source · cited for: supports
- 3Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Further Enhances Program Integrity and Interagency Coordination in the H-1B Visa Programwhitehouse.gov · primary source · cited for: context
- 4Executive Order 14431—Enhancing Program Integrity and Interagency Coordination in the Administration of the H–1B Nonimmigrant Visa Program September 18, 2026govinfo.gov · primary source · cited for: context
- 5H-1B Visa | U.S. Work Program, Eligibility, & Economic Impactbritannica.com · not rated · cited for: supports, context
- 6Explainer: Recent Administration Policies Will Undermine the ...forumtogether.org · not rated · cited for: context
- 7United States | President Trump issues orders targeting H-1B oversight and entry restrictionsbal.com · not rated · cited for: context
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post
Related claims
- The Trump administration is making it harder for legal immigrants, international students, nurses, and highly skilled workers to enter and remain in the United States.True
- The administration is proposing a $100,000 fee for H-1B visa applicants.True
- The administration attempted to impose a $100,000 fee on people applying for H-1B visas.True
- The Department of Homeland Security issued a regulation proposing a $103,000 fee for H-1B workers.True
- President Trump signed a proclamation last fall using the same authority as the Muslim ban to block H-1B applicants unless they paid a $100,000 fee.True