For Indian diaspora, Trump’s H-1B visa shocker sparks uncertainty, fears: ‘95% of the people…’

Hindustan Times ^ | 9/23/2025 | Shashank Mattoo

[marcusmaximus]

“This is devastating. I can’t express it in words,” said one Indian technology professional in Silicon Valley to HT as news of US President Donald Trump’s H1-B visa fee hike spread on Saturday.

“I’ve invested a lot of time here in America. I’m staying positive right now but there are times when it’s hard,” adds another Indian professional on an Optional Practical Training (OPT) visa, who was hoping to secure an H1B sponsorship and stay on in America after completing a master’s degree. A pervasive mood of fear and uncertainty looms large among many in the Indian diaspora, particularly young professionals working for technology firms.

-snip-

For decades, Indian students arriving in the United States on F1 student visas were able to find jobs with companies that were willing to sponsor them for H1-B visas and subsequently, for employment based green cards.

This pathway became the basis of the Indian-American dream and allowed many in India’s 5-million strong diaspora to set down roots in America.

After Trump’s H1B visa decision, many in the diaspora believe that pathway is fundamentally broken.

“The education pathway of coming to America and subsequently staying in the United States will collapse because these visa moves make it so much harder for entry level workers to find a job,” says Debarghya Das, a partner at Menlo Ventures, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm.

“For an Indian master’s student, it is not a wise decision to come to America right now,” says another Indian professional on an H1B visa, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

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TOPICS: Chit/Chat
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[DeplorablePaul]

One of my favorite crime stories on streaming services is about an Indian woman from a poor family who married a son of a rich, prominent family. She poisoned her mother-in-law, sister-in-law, father-in-law and finally her husband to take over the family’s money. That’s how Indians operate.

[marcusmaximus]

That’s how Indians operate.

Yep. And they lie lie lie lie lie.

[nathanbedford]

https://freerepublic.com/focus/chat/4344261/posts?page=18#18

[DAC21]

Need to work on getting that number up to 100%

[nathanbedford]

You are really out to lunch here. I’d back off because you are approaching Globalist status. To me, Globalists have the same status as child rapists.

To me, racists have the same status as child rapists.

What status are you approaching?

[FLT-bird]

Good! Stay out.

Now that we’ve shut down the H1B pathway to cheap foreign labor, we need to move on to shutting down the OPT pathway. Get rid of the cheap foreign labor for White Collar American workers just as we are doing the same for Blue Collar American workers. It is not America’s responsibility to provide jobs programs to all the world. Take care of our own people first.

[FLT-bird]

I have no problem with US companies bringing over superstars and people who have valuable job skills that are really needed and who are actually in short supply. That's why for a long time I proposed a big fee for H1Bs very similar to what he actually did. If the person is truly that valuable, an American company will pay it. $100K over 3 years is frankly, not that much for someone who can add real value. But that is probably going to be enough to price the cheap labor out of the market - which is what we want....no more undercutting American workers' wages and stealing especially entry level jobs from Young Americans.

Between the 750,000 H1b Indians and the further 750,000 Indian illegal aliens in the country, we've got a whole bunch of Indians to ship back. BTW....Indians sure haven't helped themselves by voting overwhelmingly Democrat.

BTW...it was not always so. My best friend's family is Indian though he was born in the US. His dad (now retired) was a surgeon and came over to the US over 50 years ago...back in the days when you had to prove you would never be a burden to society, could speak English, etc etc....ie back when we had a sane and reasonable immigration policy. His whole family is as Conservative as I am. That changed when they started the H1B program and they started bringing over hordes Tech workers. They aligned with Democrats. Earlier Indian legal immigrants had been professionals and people who started businesses. They were pretty Conservative.

[nathanbedford]

Well put.

[FLT-bird]

I won't say "every" Indian. Keep the ones who truly are stars and truly do add value. That's why I long advocated a hefty fee on H1Bs. That would ensure only the truly valuable ones would be brought over. What I have a problem with is its 750,000 of them. Those are overwhelmingly just cheap labor, not stars. We don't need cheap labor. Hire Americans and if there aren't enough, bring back the job training programs companies used to have a generation ago.

You could take a college grad, pay them 40% less for the first year and train them up then start them at a normal entry level salary after that first year. 7% of male college grads in the US are currently unemployed. How many are underemployed? Probably a lot. I bet there are plenty of young American college grads who would jump at the chance to get their foot in the door at a Bank or a Tech Company even if they had to do the job training program at a lesser salary in their first year. What are you making now? Nothing? OK, so you take the lesser pay, you get a roommate or two....just like it was when you were in college....and you live on a budget that is almost certainly better than what you had in college...and that lasts for just one year. Then you're off and running getting normal entry level pay working for a big name company. That's a deal well worth taking and I'm convinced lots of young Americans would gladly take it.

[rdcbn1]

Eliminate the Indians and the Jews, and you can grow turnips in Silicon Valley.

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Well, not quite -but it would make a dent.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Cry me a river. A “pervasive mood of fear and uncertainty” hung over millions of Americans who lost their jobs to H1B’s and had to train their own replacements to get their severance check.

[Mustangman]

I think this is more of a foreign policy issue than an H1 B visa issue. Trump is mad at India for continuing to buy Russian oil. My guess is as soon as India stops buying Russian oil, the H1B visa program will be restored for India.

[GingisK]

Every one should have been an American.

[hal ogen]

Isn’t that good news???

[TheDon]

Lots of American opportunities lost to foreigners.

[TheDon]

It’s immoral for America to strip mine human capital from other countries.

[Fiji Hill]

“This is devastating. I can’t express it in words,”

Oh, boo-hoo! As we used to say back in the sixties, my heart bleeds purple peanut butter!

[escapefromboston]

Some things are more important than economics. Indian culture is reprehensible

[Georgia Girl 2]

Let them go to Europe or Asia.

[Lazamataz]

Go back to India.

I can't. I'll be arrested.