Trump administration suspends Microsoft’s ability to apply for green cards, alleging fraud
The Trump administration has suspended Microsoft’s ability to apply for green cards and other visas for foreign workers, citing alleged fraud in the company’s use of the H-1B visa program. Vice President J.D. Vance made the announcement, accusing Microsoft of systematically laying off American workers while replacing them with H-1B visa holders.
Vance claimed that Microsoft laid off approximately 6,000 American employees over recent years while simultaneously hiring around 6,100 workers on H-1B visas, describing this as exploiting “foreign indentured servants.” The suspension affects all of Microsoft’s divisions, including its gaming operations like Xbox, and represents a significant escalation in the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts.
The H-1B program is designed to allow employers to recruit specialized workers from abroad for positions that cannot be filled by domestic talent. However, the administration’s action reflects broader concerns about the program’s potential misuse. Notably, Microsoft had previously disputed similar accusations, characterizing them as a conspiracy theory just three months before this suspension was announced.