Rochester General Hospital in New York is under scrutiny after an “expose” was posted on X. The post claimed that 80 out of 82 resident doctors working at Rochester General are H-1B and J1 visa holders, with only 2 American doctors hired by the hospital.
The X post was posted by “Expose H1B Fraud.” The post claimed that most of these H-1B and J1 visa-holding doctors who were working at Rochester General came from countries with documented USMLE cheating.
After the post went viral, a watchdog from the US Labor Department reposted the tweet and asked for accountability from Rochester General.
On September 28, Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito posted on X. He wrote, “Show us the numbers,” and asked Rochester General Hospital to showcase the number of H-1B and J1 visa holder doctors and American doctors who worked at the facility.
According to the reports, D’Esposito said that, according to President Trump’s new rules, visa abuse is under a lot of scrutiny. He also said that he will work with JD Vance’s White House Fraud Task Force if the country’s immigration system is being abused.
Also see: Indian-Origin Brothers Convicted in US Healthcare Fraud and H-1B Visa Scam Linked to Dental Clinics
J-1 visa: Administered by the ECFMG, the J-1 non-immigrant visa allows foreign medical graduates to complete residencies and fellowships in the United States. However, under the J-1 visa, the doctor has to go back to their home country for a mandatory two-year home residency.
H-1B visa: The H-1B visa is a temporary work visa that allows a professional to work in the USA.
The original expose post was made on 27 Sept; however, it does not offer verified information about the ratio of foreign doctors to American doctors working at Rochester General.
The actual figures are being sought for verification by D’Esposito.
This news came right after President Trump announced new restrictions on some H-1B workers until September 2027. New rules block certain H-1B workers from entering the US unless their employers pay a $100,000 fee, though some exceptions do apply.
This news shows that the scrutiny on H-1B workers and immigration rules is extending beyond the technology sector.
(Rh/ARC)