- JD Vance announced an investigation of nine universities over alleged J-1 visa misuse in federally funded research.
- The Labor Department’s Office of Inspector General has served subpoenas and is examining possible visa abuse and financial relationships.
- Vance claimed visa holders fill sixty-one percent of research positions at the campuses, compared with a national average of thirty-eight percent.
Vice President JD Vance announced on October 8, 2026, that the Trump administration is investigating nine universities over alleged misuse or fraud involving J-1 visas. The inquiry focuses on federally funded research. Nine campuses are involved.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General is conducting the investigation under Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito. He said investigators had already served subpoenas and would examine possible “foreign influence, improper financial relationships or visa abuse” affecting federally funded research.
Vance cast the investigation as a labor issue. “Elite universities bring in foreigners to undercut the wages of American residents,” he said.
He also said: “Something weird is going on at these universities. They’re using these visas way too much. They’re using them to undercut the wages of American grad students and American researchers, and it simply has to stop.”
Vance alleged that visa holders fill approximately 61% of federally funded research positions at the universities, against a national average of 38%. He also claimed American graduate students and researchers earn about $20,000 more than comparable workers brought to the United States under the program.
The inquiry concerns exchange-visitor visas, not the more commonly discussed H-1B program. The category covers foreign students, researchers and scholars studying or working temporarily in the United States, including some graduate-level academic workers.
Nine campuses are named in the inquiry
The administration named these universities:
- Harvard University
- Yale University
- Stanford University
- Brown University
- University of Pittsburgh
- University of California, Davis
- California Institute of Technology
- Arizona State University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Four universities describe subpoenas or reviews
Stanford said it “complies with all applicable visa laws” and “will cooperate with the investigation.” Yale said it was committed to full compliance with federal visa rules and would review the investigation documents.
MIT spokesperson Kimberly Allen said the university received a “very broad subpoena” and was reviewing it. The university said its exchange-visitor visa holders had been vetted and authorized by the U.S. government.
The University of Pittsburgh said it received a subpoena concerning its participation in federal visa programs. The university said it was reviewing the matter and complies with applicable requirements.
D’Esposito said investigators would also determine whether universities used the visa classification “to avoid employment obligations, exploit taxpayer-funded programs, and undermine American workers.”
