‘H-1B workers only’: US companies fined $313,420 after Justice Department reveals illegal hiring bias | World News

As the United States continues to crack down on illegal immigration, many independent journalists have taken on the task of exposing H-1B worker fraud. A New Jersey company exposed by Blaze TV reporter Sara Gonzales was recently fined by the Department of Justice for illegal employment practices. The DOJ announced that it has reached a settlement with Compunnel Software Group Inc. under which the company expressed its intention to hire employees based on their citizenship status, with particular benefit to H-1B visa holders or related temporary employment visa holders. according to Press release The department believes that recruiters at the professional services provider violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by posting job advertisements in the United States that contained citizenship restrictions that were not authorized by law. Emails sent to the “accusing party” indicate the company “only” requires temporary visa holders for specific roles. Gonzalezs, a reporter for the far-right media company Blaze Media, originally “exposed” the company’s “H-1B employees only” criteria for job openings posted on LinkedIn. She shared the news on the X website, writing: “Following my February report on illegal discrimination against American workers, the Department of Justice has taken action against at least one company I exposed.”Now, the company has agreed to pay $58,000 to the accuser, a U.S. citizen who was excluded from consideration for a Python developer position because of his citizenship status. Additionally, it agreed to pay a civil penalty to the company. U.S. Treasury Department amounted to $255,420 and took steps to train and supervise its recruiting staff. “It is unlawful to prevent American workers from applying for U.S. jobs. Employers cannot discriminate against American workers by excluding them from the workforce because of their citizenship status. Employers must design recruitment, training and compliance practices to ensure compliance with federal civil rights laws,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. This marks the ninth settlement reached by the Department of Justice since it reinstated the Initiative to Protect American Workers and enforce the INA Act in 2025.