In a significant announcement, Kristi Noem, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has confirmed that the Trump administration has accelerated the process for visa and green card approvals. During a recent interview with Fox News, Noem highlighted that this period has seen more people becoming naturalised US citizens than ever before.
Record Naturalisations and Stricter Visa Integrity
Secretary Noem explicitly stated that the current administration has injected more integrity into the immigration system while speeding it up. "Under the Trump admin, we've sped up our process and added integrity to the visa programs, to green cards, to all of that, but also more people are becoming naturalized under this admin than ever before. More people are becoming citizens," she said during the Fox News interview. She also confirmed that the country will continue its use of the H-1B visa program for skilled foreign workers.
The Three Key Rules for H-1B Visa Applicants
Emphasising a stricter screening process, Noem laid out three major criteria that H-1B visa applicants must now follow to ensure their applications are approved. These rules are designed to filter applicants based on their intentions and affiliations.
- Applicants must demonstrate they are not supporters of any terrorist organisations.
- They must prove they are coming to the United States for the "right reasons," presumably for legitimate professional work.
- They must not support any groups or organisations that "hate America."
Trump's Stance on US Talent and the New H-1B Fee
Noem's comments come just days after former President Donald Trump himself commented on the H-1B program. In a separate interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham, Trump argued that the US lacks certain specific talents and needs to bring in skilled workers from abroad. When Ingraham suggested the country already has plenty of talent, Trump responded with a firm "no."
"You don't have certain talents. And you have to, people have to learn. You can't take people off, like an unemployment line, and say, 'I'm going to put you into a factory. We're going to make missiles,'" Trump elaborated, defending the need for the H-1B program.
This push for specialised talent comes with a significant cost for companies. The Trump administration introduced a substantial $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visa applications. This new financial rule officially came into effect on September 22, 2025, making it more expensive for US firms to hire foreign professionals.
The combined statements from top officials signal a dual approach: streamlining processes for legal immigration while imposing stricter checks and higher costs on specific visa categories like the H-1B.
