H-1B row explained: Why Americans are criticising US visa policies, targetting Indian-origin citizens

The US government has increased efforts to ensure American workers are prioritised in employment. New H-1B visa regulations, effective from January 1, aim to improve fairness and reduce fraud. (Image credit: AFP)

The H-1B visa programme that allows US companies to hire skilled foreign workers in specialty occupations has been the cause of growing resentment among Americans against immigrants. At a time when the country's educated youth is facing an employment crisis, the hiring of foreign workers, especially Indians, has triggered heated debates on American job security and immigration policies. Indians form the largest group of beneficiaries, securing 72.3 percent of the 3.86 lakh visas issued in fiscal year 2023, Business Standard reported.

Here are the recent incidents fueling the H-1B visa backlash:

Walmart layoffs and Indian CTO

Walmart's recent decision to cut nearly 1,500 jobs has sparked online backlash. Many social media users, particularly supporters of the 'Make America Great Again' (MAGA) movement, have accused the company of replacing American workers with H-1B visa holders. A large portion of this criticism has been directed at Walmart's Indian-origin CTO Suresh Kumar. But, internal communications cited by Bloomberg indicate that the job losses are part of a broader company restructuring to simplify operations and reduce expenses, and not an attempt to replace staff with H-1B visa holders. Walmart also stated, "These changes reflect a focus on business priorities and our growth strategy and are not related to H-1B visas."

Speaking to Moneycontrol on Wednesday, a top company executive further clarified that the company anticipates introducing “several hundred new roles” across the US and India, which will also be open to recently laid-off employees.

Indian-origin Republican's anti-H-1B stance

Rohit Joy, an Indian-origin Republican from Texas, recently sparked controversy by suggesting that all H-1B visas should expire, the programme should be ended, and visa holders should be sent back to their home countries. His remarks were made in response to a Republican Congressman supporting the expansion of domestic visa renewals for H-1B holders. Joy's stance drew significant backlash from Indians online, who questioned his position given his own immigrant background, NDTV reported.

JD Vance's meeting with Indian-American investor

A recent photograph of US Vice President JD Vance having dinner with Indian-American investor Asha Jadeja Motwani has reignited debate amid the H-1B row. Motwani, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist, stated that immigration policies were among the topics discussed. Some social media users criticised the meeting, especially after the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the clearance of over 1.2 lakh H-1B visa applications for the fiscal year 2026. Critics linked the meeting to concerns among US tech workers over job losses and lower-wage hiring associated with the visa programme.

Broader context of H-1B policy

The US government has increased efforts to ensure American workers are prioritised in employment. New H-1B visa regulations, effective from January 1,  aim to improve fairness and reduce fraud. These updates include stricter enforcement against fraudulent applications and misuse, increased wage requirements, and new scrutiny on how employers prove jobs require a specialised degree. While these changes aim to strengthen the programme's integrity, they may lead to increased scrutiny for applications and hiring practices, potentially affecting the number of visas issued to Indian professionals.