US Vice President JD Vance has said the Trump administration is stepping up action against alleged abuse of the H-1B visa programme, stressing that the initiative is meant to attract highly skilled professionals,
not to benefit “foreign fraudsters.”
Speaking about the H-1B programme, Vance said it was created to allow exceptional talent, including scientists, doctors and technology professionals, to work in the United States.
“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,” Vance said.
#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
— ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2026
He added that the US Department of Labor has launched “dozens of subpoenas and investigations” into individuals and entities suspected of exploiting the programme.
“This is a visa program that was set up to ensure that if you are a brilliant technology person or a brilliant scientist or a brilliant doctor, you could come to the United States and get access to this visa program,” Vance said.
Claiming that the administration is committed to protecting American workers, he said, “American jobs ought to go to American workers and not foreign fraudsters.”
Vance’s remarks come as the Trump administration begins its first major crackdown on alleged fraud involving H-1B and PERM employment visa programmes.
Earlier, US Department of Labor Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito told Fox News that federal authorities have issued multiple subpoenas as part of what he described as the administration’s most aggressive investigation into suspected labour trafficking and the alleged misuse of foreign worker visa programmes.
He also identified IT services company Cognizant among firms linked to concerns raised by whistleblowers, though no findings of wrongdoing have been announced.
The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant work visa that allows US employers to hire foreign professionals in specialised occupations. Every year, thousands of Indian professionals secure jobs in the United States through the H-1B visa programme.
The H-1B visa is typically issued for an initial period of three years and can be extended for up to six years. The PERM programme, meanwhile, is the labour certification process that employers must complete before sponsoring many foreign workers for permanent residency in the United States.
