Highlights:
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Dave Brat alleges “industrial-scale fraud” in India’s H-1B visa applications
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Claims Chennai processed 220,000 H-1B visas, exceeding the annual legal cap
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Former US diplomat cites forged documents and proxy applicants
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Hyderabad’s Ameerpet flagged as a hub for fraudulent H-1B visa coaching
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H-1B remains in focus as Trump signals continued support for skilled-worker visas
Former US Representative and economist Dr Dave Brat has renewed debate over the integrity of the H-1B visa program, alleging widespread fraud in visa applications originating from India. His remarks were made during an appearance on Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast, where he claimed the program now operates under what he described as “industrial-scale fraud.”
Brat asserted that the H-1B visa system is no longer functioning within legal limits and alleged that improper practices have overtaken the process. He referred to the situation as evidence that “the system has been captured,” adding that the figures he cited “defy statutory limits” and amount to a “scam.”
His statements arrive amid heightened political attention on skilled-worker visas, with the Trump administration tightening oversight of employment-based immigration programs, including the H-1B visa.
H-1B Visa Distribution Patterns Raise Questions
Brat pointed to national visa distribution trends to support his claims. He stated that approximately 71 percent of all H-1B visas in recent years were issued to Indian nationals, while applicants from China accounted for about 12 percent. According to him, this imbalance alone warrants deeper review of how H-1B visas are being processed.
He also raised concerns about how many of these visa recipients actually meet the program’s requirement of being “highly skilled” workers. According to Brat, the H-1B visa program is no longer consistently serving that purpose.
Framing the issue as one affecting the American workforce directly, Brat told listeners that foreign workers entering through the H-1B route “are taking away your family’s job, your mortgage, your house.”
Chennai Consulate H-1B Visa Numbers at Center of Controversy
The most serious numerical claim raised by Brat centers on visa processing at the US consulate in Chennai. He alleged that the Chennai post processed approximately 220,000 H-1B visas in a single year. That figure, if accurate, would exceed more than double the total annual statutory cap of 85,000 H-1B visas set by Congress.
In addition to H-1B visas, the Chennai post reportedly processed around 140,000 H-4 dependent visas in 2024. The region covered by the Chennai consulate includes Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Telangana, which are home to some of India’s largest concentrations of IT and technology services firms.
Officials have attributed the surge in H-1B visa processing at Chennai to the density of technology-driven recruitment activity in those states, making it one of the busiest H-1B issuing consulates worldwide.
Past Diplomatic Claims Add to H-1B Visa Fraud Narrative
Brat’s comments have revived previous allegations made by Mahvash Siddiqui, an Indian-origin US Foreign Service Officer who served at the Chennai consulate from 2005 to 2007. Siddiqui had earlier alleged that fraud in H-1B applications was systemic during her tenure.
She claimed visa fraud involved falsified educational degrees, forged employment letters, and proxy applicants who appeared for interviews on behalf of real candidates. According to her, Hyderabad’s Ameerpet district was a major hub for such activity, with training centers allegedly providing fabricated documents and coaching applicants on how to pass H-1B visa interviews.
Siddiqui also said that when consular officials attempted to intensify anti-fraud enforcement, those efforts were internally resisted and labeled as “rogue operations.”
She further claimed that between 80 and 90 percent of H-1B cases she reviewed from India contained fraudulent or misrepresented credentials. She alleged that corruption played a role in some cases, stating that applicants sometimes avoided interviews with American officers entirely and that certain hiring managers allegedly demanded bribes in exchange for job offers used to support H-1B visa petitions.
H-1B Visa Program Remains Central to US Tech Industry
Despite growing criticism and repeated fraud allegations, the H-1B visa program continues to be a vital hiring channel for US industries, particularly in technology, engineering, healthcare, and scientific research. Many US firms rely on the H-1B workforce to fill technical roles that employers say cannot be readily staffed through the domestic labor market.
While MAGA-aligned political groups have stepped up opposition to foreign worker programs, former President Donald Trump recently indicated he remains open to maintaining the H-1B visa program. He emphasized that access to global talent remains important for maintaining US economic competitiveness.
This position places the administration at the center of an ongoing policy conflict between labor protection concerns and employer-driven workforce demands.
H-1B Visa Oversight Likely to Intensify
Brat’s allegations, combined with historical claims from former US officials, are likely to strengthen calls for enhanced audit controls, stricter verification procedures, and more aggressive enforcement against fraud within the H-1B visa pipeline.
While no official confirmation has been issued regarding the specific numerical claims surrounding Chennai’s H-1B processing volume, the renewed attention places additional pressure on US immigration authorities to publicly address how visa caps, document authentication, and interview integrity are being enforced.
As scrutiny grows, the future of the H-1B visa program remains politically sensitive, balancing economic demand, national workforce concerns, and ongoing allegations of large-scale misuse.
