America’s H-1B visa programme is facing fresh controversy after economist and former US Representative Dave Brat alleged large-scale fraud in the system. Brat claimed that Chennai alone issued 220,000 H-1B visas, despite the national cap being only 85,000. He argued that the numbers show “industrial-scale fraud” in the programme.
Brat said India accounts for 71 per cent of all H-1B visas, while China receives only 12 per cent. He believes this imbalance signals deeper issues. He linked the problem to MAGA supporters’ concerns about job losses and said unskilled workers enter the US by posing as specialists.
The Chennai consulate processes applications from high-volume regions such as Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Telangana. This makes it one of the busiest H-1B hubs globally.
Brat’s comments follow similar claims from Indian-American diplomat Mahvash Siddiqui, who worked at the Chennai consulate. She said officials reviewed around 220,000 H-1B applications and 140,000 H-4 applications in 2024. Siddiqui alleged that many visas were based on fake job offers, forged degrees or proxy interviews. She added that coaching centres in Hyderabad openly sold documents to support fraudulent applications.
The allegations have intensified pressure on US authorities to review visa screening and enforcement.
