Texas has launched a sweeping investigation into alleged abuses of the H-1B visa system, accusing nearly 30 companies of running “ghost offices” to secure foreign workers.Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Thursday that his office has issued civil investigative demands to several North Texas-based companies suspected of abusing the visa program.According to the Attorney General’s Office, the companies are believed to have engaged in fraudulent activities to take advantage of the H-1B system. Nameees include TechPro IT LLC, Fame PBX LLC, First Ranking Technologies LLC, Qubitz Tech Systems LLC, Blooming Clouds LLC, Virat Solutions, Inc., Oak Technologies Inc., TechPath Inc. and TechQuency LLC.“Attorney General Ken Paxton has issued civil investigative demands (‘CIDs’) to approximately 30 North Texas businesses as part of an ongoing investigation into suspected fraud and abuse of the H-1B visa program,” the official statement said.Investigators say some companies may have created so-called “ghost offices”, which exist only on paper. These offices allegedly give the appearance of active business operations, allowing companies to sponsor foreign workers under false pretenses. “Reports indicate that many of these entities operated so-called ‘ghost offices’ as part of a scheme in which businesses misrepresented themselves as having active operations to sponsor foreign workers,” the statement said.As part of the investigation, companies have been asked to submit detailed records. These include employee lists, descriptions of services or products, financial documents and internal communications related to their operations.Paxton also credited right-wing social media influencer Sara Gonzales for highlighting the issue in her reporting, videos and documentaries covering the alleged fraud. He added: “I want to thank @SaraGonzalesTX for her efforts in exposing H-1B fraud across the state.”He said, “I will not allow the H-1B program to be abused by bad actors trying to use it as a loophole to allow foreign nationals to invade Texas. My office will continue to work to expose and end fraud within the H-1B program.”The latest action builds on a broader investigation first announced on January 28, targeting suspected abuse of the visa system across Texas. Its purpose is to ensure that the program operates within the law and that American workers receive benefits as intended.The action follows a recent case in California that raised similar concerns. In April, two Indian-origin men pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit H-1B visa fraud by filing applications for jobs that did not exist.Sampath Rajidi and Sridhar Mada were accused of submitting fraudulent petitions between June 2020 and January 2023. Once approved, the visas were given to unrelated customers. Rajidi ran a visa services firm, while Mada used his position as chief information officer at the California University of Agriculture and Natural Resources to provide credibility to applications. Both individuals knowingly submitted false information to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), thereby obtaining an unfair advantage and reducing the number of visas available to legitimate applicants.The filing states: “They presented false information, knowing that such information was material to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) decisions in granting visas. As a result of their conspiracy, Rajidi and Mada gained an unfair advantage over other companies and depleted the pool of H-1B visas available to competing companies.”
