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Trump administration steps up visa fraud scrutiny, says American workers must get ‘a fair shot at good-paying jobs’
The Labor Department’s inspector general says investigators are examining alleged fraud and worker exploitation involving H-1B and J-1 visa programs.
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US Department of Labor Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito has reiterated the Trump administration’s position that American workers should not lose employment opportunities because of alleged fraud or abuse of the foreign-worker visa system, as federal investigators expand scrutiny of employment-based immigration programs.
“America is home to the best and brightest. They deserve a fair shot at good-paying jobs, fair wages, and the opportunity to succeed. No American worker should be cheated out of that opportunity by fraud or abuse of our visa system,” D’Esposito said in a post on X.
The remarks come amid a wider federal crackdown on alleged fraud involving foreign-worker visas, including the H-1B program for skilled professionals and the J-1 exchange visitor program. The administration has said it wants to prevent employers from exploiting immigration rules or using foreign workers to undercut American wages.
US expands investigation into visa fraud
The Labor Department’s Office of Inspector General said on September 18 that investigators had issued dozens of subpoenas and executed search warrants as part of a criminal investigation into alleged foreign-labor fraud, worker exploitation and potential human trafficking. The department also said visa applications involving IT services companies Cognizant and Cloudera had been suspended pending the investigation.
Separately, the inspector general announced on October 9 an investigation into potential fraud involving J-1 visa programs at nine US universities: the University of Pittsburgh, Yale, Harvard, Stanford, Brown, the University of California, Davis, the California Institute of Technology, Arizona State University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Subpoenas had been served on the institutions, according to the official announcement.
The J-1 program allows eligible foreign nationals to participate in designated exchange visitor activities, including academic and research programs. The H-1B visa, meanwhile, allows US employers to hire foreign professionals for specialty occupations.
The investigations do not, by themselves, establish wrongdoing by every employer or institution under scrutiny.
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Why the crackdown matters to Indian professionals
The enforcement drive has implications for Indian professionals, who account for the largest share of approved H-1B beneficiaries. According to US Citizenship and Immigration Services data for fiscal year 2024, India-born beneficiaries accounted for 283,397, or 71%, of approved H-1B beneficiaries.
The administration’s scrutiny could mean closer examination of employers’ hiring practices, visa petitions and compliance with labor requirements. However, D’Esposito’s latest post does not announce a new restriction on Indian nationals or indicate that existing visas are being cancelled.
For workers and prospective applicants, the immediate concern is how the investigations develop and whether they lead to further enforcement measures or regulatory changes.
The inspector general has said the agency’s focus is on protecting American workers, investigating suspected fraud and holding those responsible accountable. Any broader impact on legitimate foreign workers will depend on the findings of the ongoing investigations and subsequent government action.
