The administration opened a federal fraud investigation into how nine universities use the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program, Vice President JD Vance said at a White House press conference on October 8, 2026. The schools named are Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Brown, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, Davis, the University of Pittsburgh and Arizona State University.
Labor Department Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito said subpoenas have been served to all nine. He said the investigation will look at “whether foreign influence, improper financial relationships or visa abuse are compromising federally funded research.” The Los Angeles Times and other outlets reported three lines of inquiry: whether universities classified research jobs as J-1 positions to avoid normal employment obligations, whether federal grant money went to visa holders in ways the program does not allow, and whether foreign governments gained influence over federally funded research.
Vance said the nine schools fill about 61 percent of their federally funded research positions with J-1 holders, against a national average of 38 percent. He also said American graduate researchers on federal grants earn roughly $20,000 more per year than J-1 holders in equivalent roles. Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Justice Department is prepared to bring criminal prosecutions, civil suits and cases against individual executives.
The J-1 Exchange Visitor Program lets universities host postdoctoral researchers, visiting scholars and specialized educators for temporary stays. Research scholars can stay up to five years. About 275,000 people started J-1 programs in 2025, down from 301,694 in 2024, according to State Department data. California drew the most research scholars, 3,211, and ranked second behind New York for all new J-1s in 2025, with 23,167.
The probe is one part of a broader enforcement push announced the same day. Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling said the department will stop accepting or processing PERM permanent labor certifications for Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCL Technologies and Capgemini. Separately, the Department of Homeland Security proposed a $70,000 fee for schools that sponsor international students through Optional Practical Training.
The investigation concerns institutions, and no findings have been announced. Stanford said it “complies with all applicable visa laws, including those relating to J-1 visas” and will cooperate. UC Davis said it carefully complies with federal visa rules and looks forward to working with federal partners. Yale said it will review the subpoena documents, and MIT said it is reviewing the subpoena.
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Source: Los Angeles Times