In the latest episode of Parsing Immigration Policy, Jessica Vaughan, Director of Policy Studies, sits down with Mahvash Siddiqui, a U.S. Foreign Service officer, to discuss systemic fraud in the H-1B visa program. Speaking in her private capacity, Ms. Siddiqui shares firsthand experiences from her time as a consular officer in Chennai (Madras), India – one of the world’s largest H-1B visa-processing posts – where U.S. officials adjudicated thousands of nonimmigrant visas, including 220,000 H-1Bs and 140,000 H-4 visas for their family members in 2024 alone.

The episode highlights alarming patterns of fraud affecting the H-1B program, including forged degrees, falsified employment credentials, and the role of third-party staffing companies in bypassing the program’s original rationale of admitting skilled workers to meet temporary shortages. While the Trump administration implemented changes aimed at reorienting the program toward more qualified applicants, Siddiqui emphasizes that widespread political pressure and a very effective Indian lobby here in the U.S. have often undermined quality control.

The conversation provides insight into the challenges faced by consular officers attempting to curb visa fraud, including under-resourcing, bureaucratic obstacles, and pressure from both local and foreign political actors. The episode concludes with a discussion of potential reforms to ensure the program serves its intended purpose.Videos of the full conference will be posted in the near future.

Host

Jessica Vaughan is the Director of Policy Studies at the Center for Immigration Studies

Guest

Mahvash Siddiqui is a U.S. Foreign Service Officer.

Related

The H-1B Invasion: Why the U.S. Must Act to Protect American Jobs, Security, and Prosperity

H-1B: End It, Don't Mend It

U.S. Chamber of Commerce: On Second Thought, H-1B Isn't for the 'Best and Brightest' After All

DHS Proposes to Reform the H-1B Selection Process to Favor Higher Paid Workers

Intro Montage

Voices in the opening montage:

• Sen. Barack Obama at a 2005 press conference.
• Sen. John McCain in a 2010 election ad.
• President Lyndon Johnson, upon signing the 1965 Immigration Act.
• Booker T. Washington, reading in 1908 from his 1895 Atlanta Exposition speech.
• Laraine Newman as a "Conehead" on SNL in 1977.
• Hillary Clinton in a 2003 radio interview.
• Cesar Chavez in a 1974 interview.
• House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaking to reporters in 2019.
• Prof. George Borjas in a 2016 C-SPAN appearance.
• Sen. Jeff Sessions in 2008 comments on the Senate floor.
• Candidate Trump in 2015 campaign speech.
• Charlton Heston in "Planet of the Apes".