New U.S. Bill Aims to Eliminate Controversial U Visa Program Over Fraud Concerns
A new bill in the U.S. House of Representatives seeks to shut down a controversial immigration program. The End U Visa Abuse Act, proposed by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, would remove the U visa category from the Immigration and Nationality Act. The move follows years of fraud allegations and a surge in pending applications. The U visa was introduced in 2000 to shield crime victims and help law enforcement. It grants temporary legal status to those who cooperate in investigations. But critics argue the system has been exploited for years.
A 2022 report by the USCIS Inspector General revealed widespread issues. Investigators found forged petitions and weak fraud controls. The problems persisted into 2024, when six Indian nationals faced charges for staging robberies across multiple states to secure U visas. In March 2025, another group of 11 Indian nationals was indicted for a similar scheme. Prosecutors said they conspired to commit armed robberies purely to qualify for the program. The same year, USCIS exposed a separate fraud ring in Louisiana involving four current and former police officers. Despite an annual cap of 10,000 visas, the backlog has exploded. By July 2025, over 400,000 applications remained pending. Rep. Roy argues the program now does more harm than good, fuelling illegal immigration and organised crime.
The proposed bill would eliminate the U visa entirely. If passed, it would mark a major shift in how the U.S. handles protections for crime victims. The legislation still needs approval from both chambers of Congress before becoming law.
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