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US freezes Cognizant Green Card filings as Trump administration puts employment-based immigration under fresh scrutiny
The Labor Department has suspended Cognizant's PERM filings amid an ongoing investigation into visa fraud.
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The Trump administration has escalated its crackdown on alleged abuse of the US employment-based immigration system, with the Department of Labor suspending Cognizant’s new PERM filings amid an investigation into alleged visa fraud.
The suspension was announced by Labor Department Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito, who said Cognizant’s PERM filings had been halted as investigators examine the company’s use of the employment-based immigration system. D’Esposito said officials were working with the White House Fraud Task Force and warned that threats to American workers would not be tolerated.
"Fighting fraud is a TEAM SPORT. @Sonderling47 and I are for real.
@Cognizant’s PERM filings are suspended.
@DOLOIG is on the hunt.
Threats to American workers will NOT be tolerated.
Alongside @WHFraudTF, we’re following facts, fraud and finances. Handcuffs await," D’Esposito posted on X.
The move affects PERM, or Program Electronic Review Management, the labor certification process generally required before an employer can sponsor a foreign worker for an employment-based green card.
What Cognizant’s suspension means
The action prevents Cognizant from moving forward with new PERM filings while the investigation continues. It does not amount to a suspension of the H-1B program, and existing PERM approvals are not covered by the reported action.
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The Labor Department has not publicly disclosed the specific allegations against Cognizant, how many filings are affected or how long the suspension will remain in place.
The development follows a broader Labor Department investigation launched into alleged fraud and abuse involving the H-1B and PERM programs. Officials have said the probe is examining issues including fraudulent visa applications, wage-related abuses, exploitation of foreign workers and practices that could undermine US workers.
Why the Trump administration is targeting PERM
PERM has become an important focus of the administration’s broader effort to tighten enforcement of employment-based immigration rules.
For companies seeking permanent residency for foreign employees, the labor certification process is a critical early stage. A suspension can therefore prevent an employer from starting new green-card sponsorship cases even though it does not automatically affect workers who already have approved applications or other immigration statuses.
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Cognizant, which was founded in Chennai and is now headquartered in the US, is one of the major corporate users of employment-based immigration programs. The company has also faced scrutiny as the Trump administration increases enforcement against alleged misuse of H-1B and PERM programs.
The Labor Department has also suspended PERM filings by Cloudera, signaling that the investigation is not limited to a single company.
For foreign workers seeking US permanent residency through employer sponsorship, the Cognizant action is significant because it shows that the administration’s crackdown is extending beyond H-1B petitions to the green-card sponsorship process itself.
