Trump administration opens major H1B visa fraud probe

The Trump administration has launched its first major investigation into alleged fraud involving the H1B and PERM employment visa programs, issuing dozens of subpoenas as part of a nationwide crackdown on suspected labor trafficking and the displacement of American workers. The announcement was made on Wednesday, July 8, by U.S. Department of Labor Inspector General Anthony D'Esposito, who described the probe as the administration's most aggressive effort yet to tackle foreign labor fraud.

The investigation, operating under Vice President JD Vance's Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, will examine allegations that employers and labor brokers submitted fraudulent visa applications and exploited foreign workers through coercive wage-kickback schemes. Officials allege these practices flood the market with below-wage labor, undermining programs designed to address genuine labor shortages. D'Esposito stated that investigators have already received information from whistleblowers involving several major companies, specifically naming the IT services giant Cognizant during discussions of the probe. He clarified that naming the company does not indicate any finding of wrongdoing, but that...