H.R. 10643: H–1B Visa Fraud Crackdown Act

This bill would increase penalties for certain violations of the H-1B visa program and for document fraud tied to immigration paperwork.

What it changes

• It raises the fines for certain serious H-1B violations from $5,000 to $100,000 in one category, and from $35,000 to $250,000 in another category.
• It also increases the minimum periods of ineligibility or suspension associated with those violations, changing one from at least 2 years to at least 5 years, and another from at least 3 years to at least 10 years.
• For document fraud under immigration law, it raises civil penalties from $250 to $2,000 per violation to $1,000 to $10,000, and from $2,000 to $5,000 to $20,000 to $50,000, depending on the type of violation.

Plain-language effect

In practical terms, the bill would make the penalties much larger for employers or other parties found to have committed serious H-1B visa abuses or immigration-related document fraud. The goal appears to be to deter misuse of the visa program by making violations more costly and by extending the period during which violators can face restrictions.

Relevant Companies

None found