WASHINGTON.– The Donald Trump administration expanded its offensive against foreign student and worker visa programs on Thursday with investigations into nine elite U.S. universities and the suspension of Microsoft, Adobe, and major tech companies from a key program for obtaining permanent residency. The Department of Labor opened investigations into the alleged misuse of J-1 visas at nine universities, including Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Brown, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The University of Pittsburgh, the University of California, Davis, Caltech, and Arizona State University also came under scrutiny. J-1 visas allow the temporary entry of foreigners participating in exchange, research, education, training, and other academic or professional programs. Illustrative image generated with AI. The administration accuses these institutions of using the exchange visitor program to bring in foreign students, researchers, or academics under conditions that, it argues, could reduce the wages of American workers. The Labor Department's inspector general, Anthony D'Esposito, said subpoenas have already been issued to the universities. "We will investigate whether foreign influence, improper financial relationships, or visa abuse are compromising federally funded research," D'Esposito said. J-1 visas allow the temporary entry of foreigners for exchange, education, research, and work programs. Vice President JD Vance specifically questioned their use at universities and suggested that some institutions turn to these programs to cut labor costs. JD Vance speaks during a press conference to provide an update on the federal investigation and crackdown related to fraud and abuse of the H-1B visa program. ALEX WROBLEWSKI - AFP. The investigation adds to the dispute between the Trump administration and Harvard over international students. Last year, the Department of Homeland Security demanded the university provide documentation on the conduct of foreign students and compliance with immigration rules. Harvard called the measure retaliation at the time, though it said it would comply with the legal requirements. The tightening of conditions for international students also came one day after the government proposed a $70,000 fee for institutions participating in the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, which allows foreign students to work in jobs related to their studies during or after their academic training. Foreign talent or cheap labor? The government also struck at some of the leading tech companies. The Department of Labor announced the suspension of Microsoft, Adobe, and six major IT services firms —Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCL Technologies, and Capgemini— from a program that is a fundamental step for foreign workers to obtain permanent residency. The measure affects the Permanent Labor Certification program, known as PERM. To access this route, companies must demonstrate that hiring a foreign worker will not harm the wages, working conditions, or employment opportunities of Americans. Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling said the government will not accept new applications or process pending ones from companies included in the suspension. The measure does not, in principle, involve canceling current H-1B visas, but it can block a common route for those workers to move from a temporary permit to permanent residency. Microsoft, one of the major tech companies suspended from the labor certification program that allows foreign workers to advance toward permanent residency. Thibault Camus - AP. H-1B visas are intended for highly skilled foreign workers in occupations for which companies claim they cannot find enough American workers. The tech sector is one of the main users, and about three-quarters of approved visas go to workers from India. Microsoft found itself at the center of the offensive. Vance accused the company of laying off 6,000 American workers last year while obtaining 6,300 H-1B visas and nearly 3,000 permanent residency cards. "They are a great American company, but they have to hire great American workers," said the vice president, who accused Microsoft of using the system to replace local employees with foreign workers. The suspension also affects Indian technology and outsourcing companies such as Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, and HCL, which are among the largest users of the H-1B program. Amazon was the largest employer of approved H-1B beneficiaries in fiscal year 2026, followed by TCS, Infosys, Apple, and Microsoft, according to official data. Donald Trump seeks to strengthen his ties with Silicon Valley tech giants. KENT NISHIMURA - AFP. The announcement also came hours before Trump presented Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella with the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, one of the country's top distinctions in the field. Nadella had participated in an artificial intelligence summit at the White House on September 29. The immigration offensive thus contrasts with Trump's efforts to maintain a close relationship with tech giants and with the leaders of companies he considers strategic for the development of artificial intelligence. The new measures represent the broadest escalation yet against immigration programs for highly skilled workers. They come after the White House imposed a $100,000 fee last year on new H-1B applications for workers hired abroad. AP and Reuters agencies. Visas for the U.S. Harvard Microsoft