Texas Opens Probe Into Nearly 30 Firms Over Suspected H-1B Visa Fraud
WASHINGTON — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has taken legal action against nearly 30 North Texas businesses as part of an investigation into suspected fraud and abuse of the H-1B visa program, officials said Thursday.
Paxton’s office issued Civil Investigative Demands to the companies, seeking records in what authorities described as a widening probe into alleged misuse of the program, which allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations.
The companies under investigation include Tekpro IT LLC, Fame PBX LLC, 1st Ranking Technologies LLC, Qubitz Tech Systems LLC, Blooming Clouds LLC, Virat Solutions Inc., Oak Technologies Inc., Techpath Inc. and Techquency LLC, among others.
“These companies are suspected of engaging in fraudulent practices designed to exploit the H-1B visa program,” the attorney general’s office said.
Authorities said some of the firms may have used “ghost offices” to falsely present themselves as active businesses in order to sponsor foreign workers.
“I will not allow the H-1B program to be abused by bad actors seeking to use it as a loophole for allowing foreign nationals to invade Texas,” Paxton said.
“My office will continue working to uncover and put an end to fraud within the H-1B program,” he added.
The attorney general’s office is seeking documents identifying employees, records of products and services, financial statements and internal communications related to business operations.
Officials said the latest action is part of a broader investigation into alleged H-1B abuse across Texas.
“This announcement is a continuation of Attorney General Paxton’s sweeping investigation into H-1B abuse, which has previously included multiple other Texas companies,” the office said.
The office said it is “actively investigating participants in the program to ensure compliance with the law and that the H-1B program puts the interests of Americans first.”
The H-1B visa program is widely used by U.S. companies in fields such as information technology, engineering and finance. It has faced scrutiny for years over allegations of misuse, including fraudulent sponsorships and shell companies, even as businesses argue it remains an important channel for hiring skilled workers. (Source: IANS)
