Infosys Reportedly Reaches Settlement in Visa Fraud Case

Infosys Reportedly Reaches Settlement in Visa Fraud Case

“Infosys, the giant Indian technology outsourcing company, has agreed to pay $34 million in a civil settlement after federal prosecutors in Texas found it had committed “systemic visa fraud and abuse” when bringing temporary workers from India for jobs in American businesses, according to court documents and officials familiar with the case. The payment is the largest ever in a visa case,” the New York Times reports.

“After an investigation of more than two years, prosecutors on Wednesday will unveil the settlement as well as its accusations that Infosys “knowingly and unlawfully” brought Indian workers into the United States on business visitor visas since 2008, which avoided the higher costs and delays of a longer-term employment visa the workers should have had. They will charge that Infosys systematically submitted misleading information to American immigration authorities and consular officials to obtain the faster visas, unfairly gaining a competitive edge and undercutting American workers qualified for the jobs.”

Amnesty Supporters Want OAS to Stop Deportations

“Immigrant advocates on Monday asked international human rights monitors to step in and oversee the Obama administration’s deportation policies, saying the U.S. is violating international standards both in how it detains people and who it chooses to deport,” the Washington Times reports.

“Testifying to the Organization of American States‘ human rights commission, advocates said the U.S. government doesn’t take into account family hardships when it decides to apprehend and deport illegal immigrants, and it said the administration treats illegal immigrants like criminals when it detains them.”

Immigration Vote Could Happen Quickly in House

Interviewed on PBS’ Newshour, Alan Gomez of USA Today said that there is still a window for immigration bills to pass the House this year.

“There’s only about 14 legislative days left in this calendar year. Obviously that can stretch into next year a little bit. The likelihood – if I knew that right now I’d be writing that story right now at my desk. It’s very difficult to get this through but they do have some time,” Gomez said.

“They have a lot of bills tee’d up and ready to go on the House floor ready to be voted on – so if it happens it could happen very quickly. We should know a lot more in the next couple of weeks.”