OpenAI and its former subsidiary Statsig now face three years of federal oversight after settling allegations that they discouraged U.S. citizens from applying for roles held by immigrant workers seeking green cards. The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division announced the agreement on Wednesday. Main Developments The settlement includes a $3.2 million payment: $1.2 million as a fine, with the remaining $2 million reserved for restitution to any U.S. citizens the DOJ identifies as harmed by the hiring practices. Neither OpenAI nor Statsig admitted wrongdoing. Background Federal law requires employers sponsoring foreign workers for permanent residence to first recruit qualified U.S. candidates. The DOJ alleged these companies used tactics—such as discouraging applications or narrowing applicant pools—to bypass that requirement for jobs held by sponsored employees. Read also: 3 ways Lightspeed's Instagram DM hire reshapes VC media strategy Why It Matters This marks a rare enforcement action targeting AI companies' immigration compliance. For tech workers, it signals heightened scrutiny of how employers handle green-card sponsorship. For OpenAI, it adds regulatory pressure as it expands globally. What's Next Over the next three years, the DOJ will monitor OpenAI and Statsig's hiring processes. The restitution fund will be distributed to any affected U.S. citizens who applied during the relevant period, with claims assessed by the DOJ.