Republican U.S. Rep. Beth Van Duyne has introduced legislation to crack down on H-1B visa fraud, as North Texas has seen a surge in fraud.
On Monday, Van Duyne unveiled H.R. 10643, the H-1B Visa Fraud Crackdown Act, which would increase penalties for willful H-1B violations, extend minimum sponsorship bans, and strengthen fines for immigration document fraud.
“When a business can lie to the government and push American workers aside for cheaper labor, and the worst it faces is a $5,000 fine, many view that as the cost of doing business,” Rep. Van Duyne said. “The H-1B Visa Fraud Crackdown Act changes the penalties. American jobs should go to American workers, and fraudsters should face real accountability for their actions.”
The resolution comes after Van Duyne led a request with Texas Republican Reps. Pat Fallon, Ronny Jackson, and Brandon Gill, asking Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to investigate the ongoing H-1B fraud in North Texas.
Since the representatives’ request, they have received confirmation that as of June 2026, nearly 60% of H-1B fraud investigations of employers nationwide were concentrated in the North Texas region.
In August, Department of Labor Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito visited North Texas to investigate the fraud and found nearly 500 instances of likely H-1B visa fraud in one building alone. He also visited multiple addresses where H-1B applications were approved, but no one answered the door.
“I’m thankful for the Administration’s quick response,” Van Duyne said. “American workers should not lose opportunities because an employer is willing to break the law to get cheaper labor. If a business decides it makes more economic sense to break the law and kick American workers to the curb, they should feel major pain for undercutting our economy and our hardworking employees.”
Van Duyne says the main provisions of her act would increase civil penalties for willful, serious H-1B violations, extend minimum sponsorship bans, and strengthen monetary fines for immigration document fraud.
Her bill would also give federal enforcement agencies stronger tools to hold violators accountable.
The maximum civil penalty for an H-1B violation would increase from $5,000 to $100,000, including for violations involving lying about the job being performed or underpaying a worker.
Some of the stronger consequences would be for worker displacement, including raising the maximum civil penalty from $35,000 to $250,000 for violations involving the willful displacement of U.S. workers.
Van Duyne’s bill is co-sponsored by Republican Reps. Brian Babin, Pat Fallon, Brandon Gill, Keith Self, and Pete Sessions, all of Texas.
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[ H/T The Daily Signal ]
