Former US Congressman and economist Dave Brat has alleged large-scale fraud in the H-1B visa programme, claiming that one Indian district received more than two and a half times the total number of visas legally permitted nationwide.
Speaking on Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast, Brat said the H-1B system had been “captured by industrial-scale fraud,” with Indian-origin applicants dominating the programme far beyond what he described as normal or legally plausible trends.
The H-1B visa, capped at 85,000 visas per year, allows American employers to hire foreign skilled workers—most commonly in tech and engineering sectors. Indian nationals form the largest group of H-1B beneficiaries globally.
‘Madras district alone got 220,000 visas’: Dave Brat
“71% of the H-1B visas come from India, only 12% from China. That tells you something,” Brat said during the podcast.
He then claimed that “one district in India, the Madras district, got 220,000—two and a half times the cap”, calling it proof of a “scam”.
Brat argued that such visa issuances pose a threat to American workers.
“One of these folks comes over and claims they’re skilled; they’re not—that’s the fraud,” he said. “They just took away your family’s job, and your mortgage, and your house.”
His comments come as the Donald Trump administration continues its crackdown on immigration, including stricter enforcement against undocumented immigrants and tighter scrutiny of work visas.
Former US diplomat echoes fraud allegations
Supporting these claims, Mahvash Siddiqui, a former US diplomat who served at the Chennai consulate from 2005–2007, alleged that 80–90% of H-1B visas issued to Indians during her tenure were fraudulent.
She claimed that the majority involved fake degrees, forged documents, or unqualified applicants posing as skilled workers.
Siddiqui made these remarks during a recent podcast appearance, saying the visa-processing system had been overwhelmed by fraudulent submissions during those years.
Broader immigration debate intensifies
The allegations surface at a time when the Trump-led administration has been pushing aggressively to reduce immigration levels and impose additional restrictions on employment-based visas.
The H-1B programme—historically supported by US tech giants—has become a political flashpoint, shaping debates on jobs, outsourcing, and the American labour market.
