Tech giants like Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Apple, has warned their employees not to return to India. The US President Donald Trump’s new immigration policies perplexed the companies. H-1B visa holders are facing uncertainties due to Trump’s new policies. India’s major chunk of US immigrants comprises technology sector employees. According to The Washington Post, tech giants like Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Apple are advising H-1B visa holders to stay in the country due to fears of being denied re-entry.
Indians Lead The List Of H-1B Visa Holders
Compared to Chinese and Canadian immigrants, Indians lead the list of H-1B visa holders. According to The New York Times report, Although President Trump has recently expressed support for H-1Bs, the administration’s overall immigration policies have generated considerable concern.
Indian Employers Share Concern
Two H-1B workers informed the media that they had canceled their plans to return to India, fearing the United States would deny them re-entry. There are also reports that the employees have also expressed concerns over the future child’s nationality, fearing a nationality dilemma- whether the child is neither American nor Indian.
“There’s an assumption that everybody who is not a US citizen might be here illegally,” one H-1B worker shared through an attorney to the Washington Post. Employers have revealed that the companies are covering the costs of expedited visa extension processing to mitigate delays, which can become expensive over time. Additionally, it is also noted that uncertainty surrounding visa policies negatively affects employees’ performance, as they constantly worry about potential actions being taken against them.
Trump And H1B Visa
The Trump administration has temporarily frozen certain Green Card applications, raising alarms among Indian tech professionals who fear the move signals a broader crackdown on legal immigration. Although the suspension primarily impacts refugees and asylees, Indian H-1B visa holders believe it signals the administration’s ongoing opposition to high-skilled immigrants. The Department of Homeland Security has cited the need for “additional screening,” but legal experts and advocacy groups argue the freeze is part of a broader effort to restrict lawful migration channels.
