Attorney General Paxton Announces Investigation Into H‑1B Visa Abuse, Starting With Three North Texas Businesses
January 29, 2026 – Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a wide sweeping investigation into abuse of the H-1B visa program by Texas businesses. As part of the investigation, he has issued Civil Investigative Demands (“CIDs”) to three North Texas companies suspected of engaging in fraudulent activity—including entities identified in videos that were widely-circulated online.
The H-1B visa is a U.S. nonimmigrant visa allowing employers to temporarily hire skilled foreign workers in “specialty occupations” requiring at least a bachelor’s degree, such as tech, engineering, and medicine, capped annually at 65,000 with an extra 20,000 for advanced U.S. degrees.
Reports have indicated that the businesses under investigation have likely engaged in illegal activity to scam the H-1B visa program by setting up sham companies featuring websites advertising nonexistent products or services to Texas consumers in order to fraudulently sponsor H-1B visas. For example, evidence has suggested that one of the businesses under investigation registered a single-family home as its office address and, on its website, listed its worksite address as that of an empty, unfinished building. These companies have allegedly sponsored numerous H-1B visas in recent years despite a lack of evidence that they actually provide any of the products or services advertised.
“Any criminal who attempts to scam the H-1B visa program and use ‘ghost offices’ or other fraudulent ploys should be prepared to face the full force of the law,” said Attorney General Paxton. “Abuse and fraud within these programs strip jobs and opportunities away from Texans. I will use every tool available to uproot and hold accountable any individual or company engaged in these fraudulent schemes. My office will continue to thoroughly review the H-1B visa program and always work to put the interests of Americans first.”
As part of the investigation, Attorney General Paxton has demanded documents identifying all employees working for these companies, records detailing the specific products or services provided, financial statements, and communications related to company operations of the three North Texas businesses.
