Sara Gonzales outside a daycare center
A Texas daycare center owner is under scrutiny after a video surfaced showing him being questioned over claims his business sponsored dozens of foreign workers through the U.S. H-1B visa program. Critics call it a “pay-to-play” program.BlazeTV shared the video with Texas celebrity Sara Gonzales. The video shows her asking the operator of Allen’s Baby Care Center (formerly Golden Acorn Academy) in North Texas. Gonzalez said the day care center has ties to Golden Qi Holdings LLC and the DFW ABA Center, an autism treatment provider.According to her findings, these companies submitted more than 50 labor condition petitions and sponsored at least 37 H-1B visa workers. Some of the positions listed include market research analyst and supply chain analyst, which appear to have nothing to do with daycare or child care services.During the confrontation, store owner Yuan Yao refused to answer questions and repeatedly asked Gonzalez to speak with his attorney. Asked about the allegations, he said, “All I can tell you is that everything is legal,” but declined to provide documents.Gonzalez also asked the employer to provide public records that must be kept under H-1B rules, but said those records were not generated during the exchange.The video also includes an account from a whistleblower familiar with the businesses. “He sells visas,” the person claimed, claiming foreign workers paid sponsorship fees of up to $20,000. The whistleblower also claimed that some employees were underpaid upon arrival in the United States, saying the boss “made them work for him for almost free.”There were also questions about whether the daycare facility was actively operating. Gonzalez said during the visit that “the day care center just closed” and that changes appeared to be afoot.The businesses also reportedly received more than $100,000 in Paycheck Protection Program loans, which were later forgiven.The H-1B visa program allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers in specialized positions, but requires them to demonstrate a genuine job need and a specified wage level.Gonzalez said she planned to submit the findings to federal authorities and questioned why an allegedly inactive day care continued to file H-1B petitions.The standoff comes as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is already investigating alleged H-1B abuse in North Texas. His office previously filed civil claims following reports that companies were running “ghost” operations while sponsoring foreign workers.
