Key Takeaways
- The Trump administration issued subpoenas to nine universities as part of a J-1 visa fraud probe.
- JD Vance alleged universities use J-1 visas to undercut American researchers’ wages.
- The universities defended their hiring practices and pledged to comply with federal law.
The Trump administration is investigating nine U.S. research universities for potential J-1 visa fraud, issuing subpoenas over allegations that hiring foreign researchers for federally funded projects undercuts American wages.
Vance Cites Higher Use of J-1 Visas at Universities
Vice President JD Vance and Labor Department Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito announced the investigation at a news conference Thursday. The J-1 visa fraud probe targets Yale University, Harvard University, Stanford University, Brown University, the University of Pittsburgh, the University of California, Davis, the California Institute of Technology, Arizona State University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The J-1 Exchange Visitor Program allows foreign nationals to study, teach or conduct research in the United States temporarily through exchange programs approved by the State Department.
Vance said the nine universities employed J-1 visa holders on federally funded research projects at a rate of about 61%, compared with a national average of 38%. He did not provide details about the data supporting the figures.
“Something weird is going on at these universities,” Vance said Thursday. He accused the institutions of using the visas to reduce wages for American graduate students and researchers, adding that the practice “simply has to stop.”
Vance also claimed that American graduate students and researchers earn about $20,000 more than workers brought into the country under J-1 visas. He did not identify the source of that estimate.
Labor Department Examines Research Funding and Visa Compliance
D’Esposito said his office had issued subpoenas to all nine universities and begun investigating whether immigration violations or financial relationships were affecting federally funded research.
The inquiry will examine “whether foreign influence, improper financial relationships or visa abuse are compromising federally funded research,” he said.
D’Esposito also warned that the universities would face consequences if investigators found violations, saying their reputations and financial resources would not shield them from enforcement.
The investigation is part of the administration’s broader effort to scrutinize universities’ recruitment and employment of foreign students and researchers. Federal officials have also targeted employment-based immigration programs used by technology companies.
The allegations announced by officials do not establish that the universities committed fraud. The investigation is intended to determine whether the institutions violated applicable laws or program requirements.
Universities Defend International Researchers and Promise Cooperation
Several universities responded to the investigation by defending their hiring practices and emphasizing the role of international researchers in U.S. research and education.
Arizona State University said it employs a large scientific and technical workforce and educates more students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics than any other university, according to its statement. The university said its hiring practices comply with existing U.S. policies and laws.
Kimberly Allen, an MIT spokesperson, said the university was reviewing what she described as the Labor Department’s “very broad subpoena.”
“Each J-1 visa holder at MIT has been vetted and authorized to come here by the U.S. government, and we take seriously our obligations to follow U.S. law,” Allen said.
A Stanford spokesperson said the university complies with applicable visa laws and would cooperate with the J-1 visa fraud probe. A Yale spokesperson said the university would review the documents once it received them.
Brown University acknowledged receiving a subpoena and defended the contributions of its international community.
The university said international scholars, students and employees make “essential contributions on our campus, including to teaching and research that advances American innovation, competitiveness and economic vitality.”
The investigation’s outcome remains uncertain. Federal officials have not publicly established that any of the nine institutions engaged in visa fraud, and the universities’ responses indicate that the inquiry is likely to involve disputes over compliance and the role of international talent in federally funded research.
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