US Department of Labor Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito has warned employers against manipulating the visa system through fake jobs, sham employers and wage kickbacks, saying businesses that rely on such practices should expect investigations.
D’Esposito said in a post on X. If your business model depends on gaming our immigration system, it deserves an investigation. American jobs. American wages. Zero patience for fraud.
Investigators visited a multi-story building associated with more than 500 approved H-1B applications and found several offices with signs of inactivity, including locked doors and limited evidence of active business operations, according to the agency. The DOL OIG said in July that it had launched a nationwide investigation into suspected fraud involving the H-1B and PERM programs.
Investigators are examining allegations including fraudulent applications, coercive wage-kickback arrangements and the use of foreign workers at wages below required levels, according to the agency. In August, the DOL OIG said investigators conducted checks in Dallas at locations associated with companies that had received hundreds of approved H-1B petitions. The crackdown has included field investigations. The OIG has also warned that employers and labor brokers suspected of submitting fraudulent applications could face scrutiny as part of the investigation. D’Esposito’s latest message signals that the OIG intends to keep examining arrangements it believes could undermine those requirements. It also comes amid a larger immigration crackdown under the Donald Trump government.
