JD Vance's H-1B Fraud Remark And Praise For In-Laws Who "Enriched US"

US Vice President JD Vance has raised concerns over alleged misuse and fraud in the H-1B visa programme, while also underscoring the positive contributions made by immigrants who have entered the country through the system. 

Vance, married to Usha Vance, whose family traces its roots to a village in Andhra Pradesh, sought to strike a balance between calls for reform and recognition of the role immigrant families, including his own, have played in strengthening the American economy.

At an event at the University of Mississippi by Turning Point USA on April 14, a student from India asked a question about H-1B visa fraud.

"I am also a daughter of a legal immigrant who came here on an H-1B visa. My mom and my dad, we've been here for around 20 years... it's been really hard getting the green card based on quotas and everything. How do we fix the immigration system for people who have been waiting for green cards for so long and they're not getting it in time," the student said.

#WATCH | On H1-B visa, US Vice President JD Vance says, "... On one hand, there is a lot of fraud in the H1-B system and on the other hand, there are people who came in and enriched the country, like my in-laws... One of the obligations of such citizens is that they must think… pic.twitter.com/GXhl9jtpTM

— ANI (@ANI) April 14, 2026

Vance responded that the H-1B visa system had serious problems, including fraud and misuse. At the same time, he said, not all immigrants should be seen negatively. He acknowledged that many people who came to the US through this system have contributed positively to the country.

"I would say you know you heard me talk about H-1B fraud because I think there is a lot of fraud in the H-1B system. And I think you can all believe on one hand that there is a lot of fraud in the H-1B system while also believing that there are people who have come to the United States in the past who have enriched this country, like my in-laws" Vance said.

He further said that immigrants, including people like his Indian-origin in-laws, have contributed a lot to the US and helped the country grow.

But there was a caveat. He added that people who live in the US should think of the country first, instead of focusing more on where they originally came from.

"Look, I am married to the daughter of immigrants from India and, you know, I love my in-laws and they're great people and they've been great contributors to the USA. One of the obligations of such citizens is that they must think about the country and not the country or group they came from... The system works only when everyone thinks of themselves as Americans," he added.

His comments coincided with the Trump administration tightening immigration rules and taking a stricter approach towards visa programmes like H-1B.

The US government believes that some people and companies misuse the H-1B visa system, and it has even called this a national security concern. Because of this, stricter rules are being introduced, including around $100,000 fees for some new H-1B visas.

Earlier, getting an H-1B visa was more about selection through a lottery system. But now, the rules are changing to give priority to higher-paying jobs. The government is also planning to increase the minimum salary that companies must pay H-1B workers to protect jobs for American workers and reduce misuse of the visa system.

At the same time, big tech companies like Oracle recently laid off thousands of employees on March 31, including people working on H-1B visas. Other major companies like Amazon and Microsoft are also cutting jobs.