Arizona State University (ASU) is now under investigation for allegedly committing visa fraud.
Eight other universities are also under investigation: Brown University, California Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of California Davis, University of Pittsburg, and Yale University.
The White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud held a press conference on Thursday announcing the investigation and other results of its investigatory efforts into J-1 and H-1B visa fraud.
The task force was established via executive order back in March in order.
Vice President J.D. Vance stated that ASU and the other eight universities employ J-1 visa recipients for federally funded grants at a 61% rate while the national average sits at 38%.
“Something weird is going on with these universities,” said Vance. “They’re using these visas way too much, they’re using them to undercut the wages of American grad students and American researchers, and it simply has to stop.”
Vice President JD Vance on J-1 Visa fraud in Universities:
"This is where some of America’s most elite universities bring in foreigners again, to undercut the wages of American residents. Now there are nine universities in particular that we believe merit an investigation. Those… pic.twitter.com/UlG4YYpBkj
— Vice President JD Vance (@VP) October 8, 2026
“There’s this pernicious idea that Americans are not good enough for the jobs in their own country,” said Vance. “Never believe the lie that Americans aren’t good enough to build a future for Americans. That’s what visa fraud tells you.”
Department of Labor (DOL) Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito said that subpoenas have been served to ASU and the other universities. D’Esposito also announced the formation of a Visa Fraud Strike Team to investigate and prosecute visa fraud.
“I do not care how prestigious a university thinks it is. Break the law and screw the American people, and I will personally cuff you in the university square,” said D’Esposito. “I don’t care how large your endowment is or how powerful your alumni are, or how many politicians you have on speed dial; as Vice President Vance said, nobody is above the law.”
DOL Secretary Keith Sonderling described ASU and the other eight universities as “visa mills.” Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff for policy for the White House, called current use of the visa program “systemic immigration fraud.”
ASU issued a statement in response to the task force accusations denying any wrongdoing.
“As one of the largest research universities in the United States, Arizona State University educates more stem majors than any other university and employs one of the largest technical and scientific workforces in the country,” stated ASU. “This benefits both the Arizona and the United States economies and in doing so, ASU has hired the talent needed to perform these functions and done so in complete compliance with existing United States policy and law.”
Vance said visa recipients were akin to “foreign indentured servants” for universities and corporations.
“You bring in indentured servants from outside the country, you lay off American workers, and if you’re a corporation you make a ton of money by undercutting the wages of American workers, replacing them with people who frankly shouldn’t be in the United States of America to begin with,” said Vance.
So far, the DOL says it has uncovered $22 billion in visa fraud.
The Task Force to Eliminate Fraud reported successfully securing 171 indictments, 203 convictions, 80 arrests, 70 search warrants, and more than $1 billion recouped for taxpayers.
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