Harvard, Stanford among 9 US universities in fraud probe over visas for foreign researchers

The Trump administration has opened an investigation into nine U.S. universities, including Harvard, Yale, Stanford and MIT, over alleged fraud in the J-1 visa program for foreign researchers and scholars. Labor Department Inspector General Anthony D'Esposito announced what he called a "historic investigation" at a press conference in Washington on Oct. 8, standing alongside Vice President JD Vance.The other schools named are Brown, the University of Pittsburgh, the University of California, Davis, the California Institute of Technology and Arizona State University. D'Esposito said subpoenas had been served on the universities and investigations were underway, according to The Hill.J-1 visas are issued to exchange visitors such as international researchers, scholars and students, and can carry temporary permission to work or do research in the U.S.Vance said the nine universities employ J-1 visa holders on federally funded grants at a rate of about 61%, against a national average of 38%, and that American graduate students and researchers earn about $20,000 more than people brought in on the visas.He said "something weird is going on at these universities" and accused them of using the visas to undercut the wages of American graduate students and researchers, The Hill reported. People walk outside Widener Library at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Photo by Unsplash The White House and the vice president's office did not immediately respond to requests to explain the source of the figures, according to health and science news site STAT.National Science Foundation data show 58.3% of postdoctoral researchers in science, engineering and health at U.S. institutions were temporary visa holders in 2024.D'Esposito singled out China, arguing that Beijing has no need to break into American research labs when institutions leave the door open, the South China Morning Post reported.His office will examine whether foreign influence, improper financial relationships or visa abuse are compromising federally funded research at the universities, STAT reported.Brown University confirmed it had received a subpoena for records on foreign labor programs administered by the government and said it would respond promptly and directly. Its international scholars, students and employees make essential contributions to the campus, Brian Clark, the university's vice president for news and strategic campus communications, said in a statement.MIT said it was reviewing a "very broad subpoena" and that all its J-1 visa holders had been vetted and authorized by the U.S. government, while Arizona State University said it had hired the talent it needed in complete compliance with U.S. policy and law, The Hill reported.Yale said it was committed to full compliance with federal visa rules and would review the documents once it received them. Stanford said it complies with all applicable visa laws and will cooperate, and Harvard confirmed it had received a subpoena and was reviewing it, according to STAT.The probe comes a day after the Department of Homeland Security proposed charging universities $70,000 for each international student starting Optional Practical Training, a program that lets foreign students work in jobs related to their studies, according to Higher Ed Dive.At the same press conference, officials said Microsoft, Adobe and several IT outsourcing firms would be suspended from the PERM labor certification process, a key step toward employment-based permanent residency, over alleged abuse and fraud.