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Sen. Schmitt targets H-1B program, cites fake Indian degree cases
The Republican senator said fraud linked to fake university credentials is undermining the integrity of the H-1B visa program and displacing American workers.
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Malvika Choudhary - Mon, 15, Jun 2026
- 18:27 EDT
- 33
Republican Senator Eric Schmitt of Missouri / X/@Eric_Schmitt
U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt renewed criticism of the H-1B visa program, alleging widespread fraud involving fake academic credentials from India.
In a series of posts on X, the Missouri Republican said authorities in India had uncovered a large fake-degree racket involving more than 100,000 counterfeit certificates seized from 28 institutions described as “universities.” He claimed that one operation sold about 36,000 fraudulent degrees for as little as $1,400 each.
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India takes ~70% of H-1B filings. H-1B requires a real specialty degree.
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) June 9, 2026
Fake the credential = fraudulent visa from day one.
It's alleged that up to 90% of those Indian visas are fraudulent. American workers are displaced by paper mills instead of proven talent. pic.twitter.com/1uw4ipoWDv
“The H-1B Program rewards this nefarious behavior. Fraud and abuse are rampant,” Schmitt wrote, arguing that fraudulent credentials are being used to obtain visas intended for highly skilled foreign workers.
Schmitt also pointed to what he described as patterns involving staffing firms, fake experience letters and high visa approval rates despite alleged warning signs. He cited an office in Irvine, California, as an example, though he did not provide additional details in the post.
The senator said India accounts for roughly 70 percent of H-1B visa filings and argued that the program's requirement for a specialty degree makes credential verification critical. “Fake the credential = fraudulent visa from day one,” he wrote.
Schmitt referenced allegations surrounding Manav Bharti University, which has been linked to investigations in India over the issuance of fraudulent degrees.
He criticized U.S. immigration authorities for not systematically verifying foreign academic credentials and said the government failed to track how many H-1B beneficiaries may have obtained degrees from institutions under scrutiny.
He further argued that unverified qualifications in sectors involving critical infrastructure, healthcare and national security could pose broader risks, describing the issue as “an international crisis” affecting multiple Western countries.
Schmitt called for prosecution of individuals who obtained visas through fraudulent credentials and questioned calls to accelerate visa processing without stronger safeguards against fraud.
India accounts for the overwhelming majority of H-1B beneficiaries each year. According to U.S. government data, Indian nationals have consistently received the largest share of approved H-1B visas, particularly in the technology sector, where employers use the program to hire workers in specialty occupations.
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