Trump administration freezes green cards for Microsoft, IT firms, probes universities

The United States has suspended Microsoft, major IT outsourcing firms, and software company Adobe from a vital green-card program while initiating probes into nine prestigious universities, intensifying a crackdown on immigration fraud and job protection. President Donald Trump's administration aims to reduce the number of foreign-born individuals in the country and limit their pathway to residence and citizenship.

This move represents the most extensive strike yet against skilled-worker immigration programs, potentially halting a popular route to permanent residency for foreign tech workers, while putting some top research universities on notice.

Vice President JD Vance called Microsoft the company that has abused the system the most, stating it laid off 6,000 American workers last year while benefiting from 6,300 H-1B temporary visas and nearly 3,000 green cards. This coincides with Trump honoring tech billionaires, including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who held an H-1B visa.

Microsoft, the largest filer of PERM applications, said about 80% of its H-1B applications were to extend or modify the status of current employees, not to recruit new workers. The suspension also covers Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCL Technologies, and Capgemini, who have sought almost three million foreign workers since 2009, receiving over 230,000 H-1B visas and 100,000 permanent labor certifications.

The administration's action comes after a one-time $100,000 fee was imposed on new H-1B petitions for foreign workers hired abroad. Investigations will examine allegations of foreign influence, improper financial relationships, or visa abuse compromising federally funded research at the nine universities, including Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Brown, and MIT. International students spending $40 billion annually in the U.S. may face economic consequences if the probe results in fewer foreign students and workers.