Posted on 10/24/2025 2:47:04 AM PDT by marcusmaximus
The White House has thrown its weight behind Donald Trump’s controversial decision to raise the H-1B visa fee to $100,000, saying the move is intended to protect American workers and curb “fraud” in the system.
In a media briefing on Thursday, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration stood firmly by the president’s policy. “The administration will fight these lawsuits in court. The president's main priority has always been to put American workers first and to strengthen our visa system. For far too long, the H-1B visa system has been spammed with fraud, and that's driven down American wages,” said Leavitt.
“The president wants to refine this system, which is part of the reason he implemented these new policies. These actions are lawful, they are necessary, and we'll continue to fight this battle in court,” she added.
Lawsuits challenge fee as unlawful and harmful to US industries
The press secretary’s comments come after the US Chamber of Commerce filed a legal challenge to the Trump administration’s decision to raise the H-1B visa fee to $100,000. Along with the Chamber, several unions, employers, and religious groups have also filed lawsuits in federal courts in California and Washington DC, arguing that the fee hike is unlawful and harms US industries.
In its official statement, the Chamber said the new fee overrides provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which govern the H-1B programme and require that fees be based on the government’s processing costs.
(Excerpt) Read more at business-standard.com ...
FTA——H-1B programme overview and how India remains top beneficiary
The H-1B visa allows US employers to hire skilled foreign workers in specialised fields. The programme offers 65,000 visas each year, with an additional 20,000 reserved for individuals holding advanced degrees.
India remains the biggest beneficiary of the H-1B route, accounting for 71 per cent of all approved visas last year, followed by China with 11.7 per cent, according to official data.
What the $100,000 executive order means for sponsoring companies
In September, Donald Trump announced that the H-1B visa petition fee would be increased to $100,000. Under this executive order, companies will need to pay the new fee in addition to existing vetting charges when sponsoring a visa.
H-1B visas program is susceptible to and has experienced significant fraud and abuse. Investigations by government agencies and independent reports have revealed various schemes, particularly involving unscrupulous staffing firms that exploit the high demand and limited supply of visas.
Methods of H-1B visa fraud
Multiple registrations in the lottery: Until new rules were implemented in 2024, staffing companies created shell companies to submit multiple entries for the same individual, artificially boosting their chances of being selected. In 2023, approximately one in six visas awarded were obtained by this method. The new rules changed the lottery selection to a “per-beneficiary” process to prevent this.
Fake job offers: Some companies submit petitions for non-existent jobs to secure visas. They may even pay other companies to pretend they are hiring the foreign workers. This allows them to “bench” the visa holders and later place them with real employers for a fee.
Fabricated documents: Individuals or companies may submit fraudulent educational degrees, experience letters, or fake employment contracts to meet visa requirements.
Lying about job details: Fraudulent petitions can misrepresent key information about the position, including the job duties, salary, or work location.
Underpaying workers: While not always outright fraud, employers sometimes fail to pay the wage certified on the visa application. They may also illegally deduct attorney fees or other costs from the worker’s pay.
cont
cont
Government actions against fraud
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and other federal agencies have implemented and increased enforcement measures to detect and prevent fraud. These actions include:
Stricter lottery rules: In 2024, USCIS changed the lottery system to select based on unique beneficiaries rather than registrations. This significantly reduced the incentive for companies to file multiple petitions.
Increased investigations: The USCIS Office of Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS) conducts site visits and audits of petitioning employers to verify the legitimacy of their business and the accuracy of their filings.
Stiff penalties: Companies and individuals found guilty of visa fraud face severe consequences, including criminal prosecution, large fines, prison time, and being banned from future immigration petitions.
Impact of fraud on the H-1B program
Unfair lottery: Fraudulent registrations unfairly reduce the odds for legitimate applicants and their employers, as the small number of available visas is overwhelmed by fraudulent entries.
Undermining program integrity: Widespread fraud undermines the public’s trust in the H-1B system, which is intended to fill specialized skill gaps when U.S. workers are not available.
Harm to workers: Visa holders can be exploited, underpaid, or benched by companies that commit fraud.
Distorted demand: Fraud creates a distorted view of the program’s actual demand, leading to long-term systemic problems.
The White House backs a Trump policy? Ok… thanks
“White house backs…”
WTF kind of statement is that?
Trump is the White House, but WTS there is a vast difference between this White House and 45 White House full of back stabbers and snakes.
If I have one criticism of 45 it was he was naive about the deep state. Perhaps the best thing that happened to President Trump and the United States was his persecution and loss in 2020. It woke him to the reality of the den of thieves that is DC.
He came into 2024 with his eyes wide open and ready to take names and kick ass🇺🇸
Nobody wants it “reformed”. Get rid of it. It’s rotten to the core. Geez talk about a tin ear. This fake $100k fee is not going to do a damn thing to curb this illegal invasion.
Singh in red shirt without turban after killing.
Agreed.
End it, don’t mend it!
Was T-boned by an illegal alien. No license, no insurance. Car was totaled. Fortunately no one was injured.
TheDon posted: Was T-boned by an illegal alien w/ No license, No insurance. Car was totaled. Fortunately no one was injured.
Did the illegal get jail time.........or anything?
It’s California, unlikely.
I got the license plate number so my insurance company could pursue reimbursement.
Did the illegal who t-boned you and totaled your car get jail time.........or anything?
Thank God you survived in one piece.
Wait. What? The White House is backing the President? Who is this idiot?
Hello Gump
Hello, AI wrangler.
The h-1b visa is controversial not the new fee.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.