US Vice President JD Vance Announces Crackdown on H-1B Visa Fraud
Major Action Against H-1B Visa Fraud
On Wednesday, JD Vance, the US Vice President, revealed that the Trump administration is intensifying efforts to combat fraud within the H-1B visa program. He cautioned that both companies and individuals implicated in exploiting this system will be subjected to thorough investigations. During his address at the Wisconsin Air National Guard's 128th Air Refueling Wing base in Milwaukee, Vance noted that the Department of Labor has started issuing subpoenas and launching inquiries into what he termed as 'foreign fraudsters' taking advantage of the visa program.
Vance emphasized, "The H-1B visa program was designed to allow US employers to hire foreign professionals in specialized fields. Initially, it aimed to attract exceptional talent, such as brilliant scientists or doctors, to work legally in the United States. However, it has increasingly been misused by large corporations and overseas fraudsters to undermine American workers' wages. Therefore, the Trump administration is taking a firm stance: if you attempt to exploit this visa program, entry into the United States will be denied," he stated.
#WATCH | On H-1B visa program, US Vice President JD Vance says, "... We have a program called the H-1B visa program... We're fighting for your taxpayer money but we're also making sure that fraudsters don't take advantage of these visa programs. This is a visa program that was… pic.twitter.com/n2Z05zlh73
— News Media (@NewsMedia) July 8, 2026
Vance reiterated a straightforward principle: American jobs should be reserved for American workers, not for foreign fraudsters, and the Department of Labor is committed to this fight. His comments followed the Trump administration's initiation of a significant investigation into alleged fraud related to the H-1B and PERM visa programs, which facilitate the hiring of foreign workers for skilled positions.
Labor Department Inspector General Anthony D'Esposito informed a news outlet that his office has already begun issuing subpoenas as part of a comprehensive investigation into suspected labor trafficking and misuse of foreign worker visa programs. He stated, "We are prepared to take decisive action, which we believe is the most aggressive approach against foreign labor fraud by an Inspector General in this administration."
D'Esposito mentioned that whistleblower tips have led investigators to some of the largest companies, including Cognizant, and assured that his team would pursue every lead. He also indicated that investigators would collaborate closely with the president and vice president's fraud task force throughout the investigation.
In a statement, the Department of Labor revealed that its Office of the Inspector General has identified widespread schemes where employers and labor brokers submitted fraudulent applications while exploiting foreign workers through coercive wage-kickback arrangements. The statement concluded, "These abuses compromise the integrity of Department of Labor programs intended to address real labor shortages, rather than enriching unscrupulous actors at the expense of American jobs."