DoJ Boosts Awards for Whistleblowers in White-Collar Migration Crimes

The Department of Justice is expanding its whistleblower program to provide rewards to corporate insiders who reveal concealed white-collar immigration crimes.

According to Matthew Galeotti, chief of the Criminal Division at the department, new priority areas for tips include procurement and federal program fraud, trade, tariff, customs fraud, and violations of federal immigration law.

The announcement has raised concerns among companies that favor hiring foreign white-collar workers over American graduates using programs like H-1B, J-1, H-4 EAD, B-1/B-2, CPT, and OPT, which are commonly utilized by Indian managers and their subordinate workers with support from the Indian government.

Stuart Anderson, a migration consultant, expressed worries that the new whistleblower policy could lead to increased prosecution of employers hiring immigrants and H-1B visa holders, reflecting the Trump administration’s continued focus on immigration enforcement.

However, the news has been welcomed by Americans who perceive ongoing discrimination against American graduates by Indian hiring managers dominating many recruitment offices nationwide.

Andrea Lucas, the new head of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, highlighted a heightened focus on visa fraud, urging those contributing to the immigration crisis or exploiting the legal immigration system to cease their practices.

The move comes as the DOJ aims to combat discriminatory hiring practices that disadvantage American professionals and boost the profits of Fortune 500 companies by employing layers of subcontractors to minimize hiring full-time American employees.

While the Indian-run staffing companies have been dominating the recruitment processes, some legal actions have been successful, shedding light on discriminatory hiring practices favoring certain nationalities over others.

The influx of foreign workers, particularly from India, has impacted American graduates’ job prospects, leading to increased unemployment rates and stagnant salary growth in various sectors.

The visa programs have been exploited, with laws not effectively enforced, resulting in unfair practices that disadvantage American employees.

The Department of Homeland Security’s decision to grant additional H-1B visas to companies beyond the annual cap has sparked further debate on the impact of foreign workers on the American job market.