Vice President JD Vance and the Department of Laborās Inspector General have launched a significant new investigation into alleged widespread abuse of U.S. work visa programs by foreign nationals, framing the probe as a key component of the Trump administrationās crackdown on immigration fraud.
Labor Department Inspector General Anthony DāEsposito told the New York Post that the schemes under scrutiny have reportedly cost the U.S. medical industry hundreds of millions of dollars, while impacting additional employment sectors. Investigators believe some operations involve forced-labor networks and human trafficking organizations.
According to DāEsposito, the Office of Inspector General has uncovered āwidespread schemesā in which employers and labor brokers submitted fraudulent applications, exploited foreign workers through coercive wage-kickback arrangements, and undercut American workers by flooding the labor market with below-wage employees.
Department of Homeland Security assessments have identified fraud in as much as 21 percent of H-1B visa petitions, the Post reported. The investigation will also examine abuses involving both H-1B visa holders and recipients of employment-based green cards. Officials are reviewing cases where foreign workers may have improperly displaced American employees or secured immigration benefits through fraudulent means.
DāEsposito emphasized the broader public safety implications, telling Fox Businessā āMornings with Mariaā that visa fraud is āfueling violent crimeā and is tied to cartels and transnational gangs. āThis is not just people working in factories or actual labor,ā he added. āThese are people working in medical facilities and doctorsā offices that are actually putting people in harmās way.ā
In his remarks in Milwaukee, Vance highlighted the original intent of the H-1B visa program, which was designed to attract highly skilled individuals in technology, science, and medicine. āBut whatās happening way too much is that big corporations and fraudsters overseas are using this program to undercut the wages of American workers,ā he said.
The announcement underscores the administrationās commitment to reforming visa programs to prioritize American labor interests while addressing exploitation and national security concerns linked to fraudulent immigration practices. The investigation is ongoing, with further details expected as subpoenas yield additional evidence.
