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Trump administration to unveil major findings on alleged H-1B and J-1 visa abuse: What to know
The DOL investigates possible H-1B visa fraud, including fraudulent applications and labor broker schemes.
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The Trump administration is set to unveil new findings on alleged abuse of US work-visa programs on Thursday, with the Vice President’s fraud task force, the Department of Labor (DOL) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) expected to jointly address concerns involving H-1B and J-1 visas, CNN reported, citing a source familiar with the plans.
The precise findings and enforcement actions have not yet been publicly detailed. But the planned briefing comes as federal agencies intensify scrutiny of employers, labor brokers and other participants in foreign-worker programs.
The meeting is therefore expected to focus not simply on individual visa cases but on whether federal investigators have identified broader patterns of fraud or abuse in programs that allow US employers to hire foreign workers.
What could be on the agenda?
H-1B visa fraud is likely to be a central focus. The DOL's Office of Inspector General said in July that it had launched a major investigation into H-1B and PERM systems, citing alleged fraudulent applications, wage-kickback arrangements and schemes involving employers and labor brokers.
In August, DOL investigators also carried out field checks in Dallas at locations linked to companies with hundreds of approved H-1B petitions. The agency said some offices showed little evidence of active operations.
The DOJ could provide details of criminal investigations or prosecutions arising from such cases. In April, federal prosecutors announced guilty pleas in an H-1B fraud case involving false claims that foreign workers would be employed on University of California projects. Investigators included the DOJ, State Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Treasury and USCIS fraud officials.
J-1 visa abuse could also come under scrutiny. A tweet by White House correspondent of CNN reports press conference on the exchange-visitor program alongside H-1B. The State Department already subjects J-1 applicants and other visa categories to expanded screening and vetting.
OPT fee adds another layer to the crackdown
The briefing comes just a day after the administration proposed one of its most dramatic changes affecting international students seeking US work experience.
The Department of Homeland Security has proposed a $70,000 fee for an F-1 student's initial participation in Optional Practical Training (OPT) and $30,000 for subsequent OPT participation. The proposal says the fees are intended to combat fraud, strengthen immigration-system integrity and protect US workers.
The proposal would place the fee obligation on the educational institution recommending the student for OPT, although DHS says schools could recover the cost from students or employers.
OPT is particularly significant for international students because it provides a route to temporary employment related to their field of study and can form part of the pipeline into longer-term employment-based immigration.
H-1B scrutiny has already widened
The Thursday briefing also follows a September executive action directing federal agencies to strengthen coordination and scrutiny of the H-1B program. The White House said the administration wants enhanced scrutiny of H-1B applications where there is a heightened risk that American workers could be laid off.
The administration has also extended its $100,000 payment requirement for certain H-1B workers seeking entry from abroad through September 21, 2027, while separately introducing changes aimed at giving greater weight to higher-paid H-1B positions.
The broader enforcement push is being coordinated through the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, chaired by Vice President JD Vance. The White House order establishing the task force gives it a mandate to improve fraud detection, strengthen information sharing among agencies and disrupt fraud networks. The Department of Labor and Justice Department are among the agencies participating.
