The Trump administration has suspended Microsoft from a major immigration program. This move blocks the tech giant from moving foreign workers toward green cards. Vice President JD Vance announced the suspension on Thursday. He cited fraud as the main reason for the action. The New York Post reported that Microsoft cannot transfer employees on temporary visas to permanent status. This affects the Program Electronic Review Management, known as PERM.
Vice President Vance laid out the math to reporters. Per the Washington Examiner, the company simultaneously gained from 6,300 H-1B visas and nearly 3,000 green cards.
The suspension does not stop at Microsoft. Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling stated that several other large IT firms face the same ban. These include Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCL, Capgemini, and Adobe. The Daily Signal noted that senior U.S. officials made this announcement on Thursday. “We will not accept any new or process any pending permanent labor certification applications involving these companies,” Sonderling stated.
Since 2009, these nine companies alone have sought nearly 3 million foreign workers, he observed. The government is also looking at higher education. Vance told reporters that nine universities, including Harvard, Yale, and Stanford, will be investigated. Labor Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito confirmed that subpoenas have already been served. “If an American university is breaking the law to save $1 while exposing American research to a foreign adversary,” he warned, “that is not academic excellence.” It’s institutional betrayal.
Despite the suspension, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella will meet President Trump on Thursday afternoon. They are expected to award Nadella the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. The New York Post confirmed this meeting is scheduled. The government is also investigating foreign influence in federally funded research. “We will investigate whether foreign influence, improper financial relationships, or visa abuse are compromising federally funded research,” D’Esposito said.
Vance stated the administration’s message clearly to the tech giant. He said, “Our message to Microsoft is: You’re a great American company, but you’ve got to hire great American workers.” The PERM process usually requires employers to prove no qualified U.S. worker is available for a specific job. Now, the Department of Labor will not process these applications for the listed companies. Microsoft did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the fraud allegations.
The government is not just talking; they are acting on specific data. The suspension targets a system that has processed millions of requests over the last decade. Vance highlighted the contrast between layoffs and new visa approvals. The Washington Examiner reported his specific figures on the 6,000 American jobs lost. The Daily Signal noted the investigation into the nine universities for allegedly undercutting American wages.
Secretary Sonderling’s statement covers the scope of the issue. He pointed out that just these companies have requested almost 3 million foreign workers since 2009. The ban blocks new applications and stops pending ones. This action aims to stop what officials call fraud in the hiring process. The investigation into the schools will look for improper financial relationships. The subpoenas are already in hand, and the probe is underway.
