H-1B visa abuse: Anthony D'Esposito signals further suspensions in widening immigration fraud probe
Emphasizing the administration's commitment to domestic employment, US Labour Department Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito added, “Nobody can tell me that we don't have the best and brightest here in the United States of America.”
- Nov 15, 2026,
- Updated Nov 15, 2026 9:27 AM IST
Washington is drawing a sharp line in the sand over corporate reliance on foreign talent, as federal watchdogs warn that temporary work programs are not designed to be permanent corporate business models.
US Labour Department Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito issued the stern warning during a recent interview with Fox News, signaling an aggressive wave of upcoming suspensions and intensified investigations into employment-based immigration fraud.
“The visa system and these visas that are in place are all temporary. They are not a method of doing business. You're only supposed to use, for example, an H1B visa if you cannot find a willing and able American to do the same job,” D’Esposito stated.
Emphasizing the administration's commitment to domestic employment, he added, “Nobody can tell me that we don't have the best and brightest here in the United States of America.”
Crackdown expands
The warning coincides with a rapidly widening federal inquiry into alleged abuses within the H-1B visa and employment-based green card pipelines.
This friction follows a high-profile crackdown in October, when the administration suspended Microsoft, Adobe, and six major technology outsourcing firms — Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCL Technologies, and Capgemini — from the Permanent Labour Certification (PERM) programme.
The resulting halt on PERM applications has severely disrupted permanent residency pathways for foreign professionals at these firms, stemming from allegations that companies utilized the immigration framework to replace domestic workers with lower-paid foreign employees.
Stricter penalties
Federal investigators are actively pursuing allegations involving fraudulent applications, wage kickbacks, and systemic program abuses. Inspector General D’Esposito indicated that additional companies and educational institutions could soon face suspensions as his office collaborates closely with Vice President JD Vance’s White House Fraud Task Force.
The broader regulatory squeeze also includes a newly introduced $100,000 payment requirement for certain new H-1B petitions, alongside restrictions extended through September 2027.
Washington is drawing a sharp line in the sand over corporate reliance on foreign talent, as federal watchdogs warn that temporary work programs are not designed to be permanent corporate business models.
US Labour Department Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito issued the stern warning during a recent interview with Fox News, signaling an aggressive wave of upcoming suspensions and intensified investigations into employment-based immigration fraud.
“The visa system and these visas that are in place are all temporary. They are not a method of doing business. You're only supposed to use, for example, an H1B visa if you cannot find a willing and able American to do the same job,” D’Esposito stated.
Emphasizing the administration's commitment to domestic employment, he added, “Nobody can tell me that we don't have the best and brightest here in the United States of America.”
Crackdown expands
The warning coincides with a rapidly widening federal inquiry into alleged abuses within the H-1B visa and employment-based green card pipelines.
This friction follows a high-profile crackdown in October, when the administration suspended Microsoft, Adobe, and six major technology outsourcing firms — Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCL Technologies, and Capgemini — from the Permanent Labour Certification (PERM) programme.
The resulting halt on PERM applications has severely disrupted permanent residency pathways for foreign professionals at these firms, stemming from allegations that companies utilized the immigration framework to replace domestic workers with lower-paid foreign employees.
Stricter penalties
Federal investigators are actively pursuing allegations involving fraudulent applications, wage kickbacks, and systemic program abuses. Inspector General D’Esposito indicated that additional companies and educational institutions could soon face suspensions as his office collaborates closely with Vice President JD Vance’s White House Fraud Task Force.
The broader regulatory squeeze also includes a newly introduced $100,000 payment requirement for certain new H-1B petitions, alongside restrictions extended through September 2027.