Sara Gonzales, a host on BlazeTV, has taken a strong stance against alleged abuses of the H-1B visa program in Texas. Her efforts seem to be having an impact, not just on the supposed fraudsters who appear to be getting nervous, but also on state and federal authorities who are starting to take action.
Recently, it seems that these officials could be armed with tougher penalties for the kinds of violations that Gonzales has been investigating.
‘Hopefully, we’ll make them think twice about doing this.’
Just a few days ago, Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas) introduced legislation aimed at increasing the penalties associated with some infractions of the H-1B visa program, acknowledging Gonzales for her role in highlighting the issue.
Rep. Van Duyne shared with Blaze News that American workers are suffering due to some employers seeking to illegally reduce labor costs, primarily by misusing the H-1B visa system.
“Hopefully, we’ll make them think twice about doing this,” she reiterated.
As it currently stands, the Secretary of Labor can impose a civil penalty of up to $5,000 for willful violations of the H-1B program conditions, as well as for misrepresentations relating to H-1B attestations, or any form of retaliation against whistleblowers. This penalty increases to $35,000 if an American worker’s termination occurs within 90 days of a visa petition being filed.
Van Duyne criticized these fines, characterizing the $5,000 sanction as merely a “slap on the wrist,” particularly when employers can save far more by opting for cheaper foreign labor.
Her proposed H-1B Visa Fraud Crackdown Act aims to elevate these penalties significantly: from $5,000 to $100,000 and from $35,000 to $250,000, respectively.
According to Van Duyne, the higher penalty aligns with existing federal laws concerning false information submitted to the government. She mentioned that “we were just being consistent.”
Gonzales responded enthusiastically, encouraging the congresswoman with a call to ensure the bill’s passage. “Hit them in the pocket book. Make it hurt because they have no problem doing that to the American worker that they’re undercutting and displacing,” she asserted.
The new legislation would also ban H-1B employers who commit violations from sponsoring new visas for a minimum of five years, or ten years in cases where an American worker was displaced. Currently, those timeframes stand at two and three years, respectively.
Gonzales expressed her approval of Van Duyne’s proposed bill, stating, “Any meaningful steps to crack down on the fraud and over abuse of the H-1B visa system is very welcome. It’s a great first step, and Congress needs to act to make sure that we can end, or at the very least, reform this corrupt system once and for all.”
She further indicated that her investigation into H-1B fraud ties into broader efforts aimed at ensuring responsible actions are taken.
In a notable shift, Van Duyne mentioned that wage suppression and fraud should not be partisan issues; however, she suspected that Democrats might oppose the bill, possibly for political reasons concerning maintaining their voter base.
Earlier this year, Van Duyne, along with other Texas Republican representatives, sent a letter to the Trump administration urging suggestions for measures that would address loopholes within the H-1B visa system.
This bill emerged as part of those suggestions, reflecting ongoing cooperation between Van Duyne’s office and federal agencies like U.S. Immigration and Citizenship Services, as well as the Department of Labor.
Van Duyne expressed gratitude for the Trump administration’s assistance, also recognizing the work of journalists like Gonzales. She noted that other related legislative proposals are being developed as well.
