05/27/2026
Let’s talk PERM.
The Department of Justice announced they are suing Cloudera for allegedly routing U.S. workers to a defunct email address when applying for a PERM position. According to the lawsuit, the emails bounced back undelivered and the U.S. applications were never seen or reviewed.
And that’s a big concern.
Companies are required to consider minimally qualified U.S. workers as part of this process. That's how PERM is set up.
And if there is a U.S. worker meeting those criteria, the company is supposed to pause outside recruitment and give that U.S. worker fair consideration.
They can’t just move forward with sponsorship because the sponsorship is supposed to be filling gaps in the labor market, not replacing available workers.
Now, I don’t know that this is as blatant of a violation as the DOJ is alleging. It actually looks like this was caused by a typo in the email address without ill intent (granted, I’m making assumptions here, just based on the facts alleged in the court filings - I have no personal knowledge of this matter), but even if the lawsuit doesn’t result in actual fraud findings, it will definitely trigger more oversight and supervision over this company’s future PERMs. Mistakes might not always be fraud but they still have serious legal consequences.
PERM is rigidly structured and doesn’t leave room for mistakes.
And when things like this happen, it can quickly become a major issue, which is definitely the case here.
Cloudera is fighting this lawsuit, and that’s interesting on its face. Other tech companies have quietly folded under similar circumstances.
So, it will be very interesting to see how this unfolds.
Of course, it’s the immigrants that are stuck in the middle. They might have had other options if PERM was done properly, but many of them will have lost years now that they could have spent finding another employer who could properly sponsor them.
What a mess.
Complex laws create drama like this and it's all very interesting to read. But you have no control over any of it.
That makes it all the more important for you to have your own personal backup plan, preferably one you’ve created while working with your personal immigration attorney.
Having your own attorney ensures your interests are protected at all times, and that’s critical in today’s volatile immigration environment.
If you’d like to talk through your case or discuss your options, we can help. Contact our office today to set up your consultation: https://www.waypointimmigration.org/contact