Donald Trump administration targets ‘major H-1B scam’ involving newspaper ads that go largely unnoticed

International News: Donald Trump aide Harmeet Dhillon, who serves as the Indian-origin assistant attorney general for civil rights at the US Department of Justice, responded to a viral social media post about an alleged H-1B visa scam. She called the practice "illegal." The post claimed that certain tech jobs are only listed in local newspapers that almost no one reads, allowing companies to hire H-1B workers more easily.

Hidden Job Ads for H-1B Workers

The viral post explained, "A reader from Connecticut shared job ads for tech positions in local newspapers that they plan to fill with Indian H-1B workers." The post added, "These jobs are not available online. If someone wants to become a Senior Data Analyst at Black and Decker, they must get the Sunday paper. Companies post jobs there because the law requires it, but almost nobody reads the newspaper, so no Americans apply. Then, companies ask the government to approve H-1Bs, paying them low wages for long hours." The post also called for stricter rules, saying, "New federal regulations are needed to stop this. It is a clear fraud on the American people."

Legal Confusion Over Newspaper Ads

Some comments on the post clarified that the practice is legal. One person wrote, "This is not about hiring an H-1B. The person has already been working there for years. The ads are for starting a green card application." Another explained, "It is legal. The Department of Labor requires PERM jobs to be posted in Sunday newspapers. They also need to appear on the company’s careers page."

Experts Weigh In

Houston-based immigration lawyer Steve Brown reacted to Dhillon's post, questioning, "Is it the DOJ’s official view that DOL rules requiring two Sunday newspaper ads for PERM are illegal? Companies must follow recruitment rules, but newspaper ads are mandatory under DOL regulations."