Trump administration investigates 9 universities for alleged visa fraud — SkimNews
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- JD Vance announced the Department of Labor is investigating Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Brown, Caltech, Arizona State, MIT, the University of Pittsburgh, and UC Davis for alleged J-1 visa fraud used by postdoctoral researchers.
- Vance asserted these schools employ J-1 visa holders on federally-funded research at a 61% rate versus a 38% national average, though STAT could not confirm the figures' source.
- Labor Department Inspector General Anthony D'Esposito said subpoenas have already been issued and will probe whether 'foreign influence, improper financial relationships, or visa abuse' are compromising federally funded research.
- MIT, Stanford, Yale, and Harvard confirmed receiving subpoenas, with MIT calling the subpoena 'very broad' and all stating they comply with U.S. visa laws.
- The investigation is part of broader Trump administration moves including a DHS-proposed four-year cap on foreign grad student/postdoc stays, a $70,000 fee on the OPT work program, and a proposed $100,000 H-1B visa fee.
- Immigration attorney Elizabeth Goss called the measures 'an incredible series of self-owns' that could push international scientists away and damage U.S. scientific leadership for decades.
Why it matters: Nine elite universities now face federal subpoenas over J-1 visa use — yet NSF data shows ~60% of all STEM postdocs are already temporary visa holders, close to the 61% Vance cited at the schools under investigation. The enforcement hits the labor base of federally funded biomedical research.
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