Under MAGA fire, Indian IT lobby group publicly aligns with Trump

MAGA backlash prompts ITServe alignment

Facing a backlash from MAGA after a video of a prominent Indian-American immigration attorney criticised US President Donald Trump's immigration policy, Indian IT lobbying group is aligning with Trump, Times of India reported. The resurfaced clips have triggered a political firestorm around the H-1B visa system, prompting the influential ITServe Alliance to make an unusually public display of support for the White House.

At the centre of the controversy is Sheela Murthy, a prominent Indian-American immigration lawyer. The video, recorded at an undated ITServe Seattle chapter meeting and posted online only in November, shows Murthy telling attendees to “kick Donald Trump’s ass,” mocking his marriages to immigrant spouses, and asserting that “the president is not God.” Another clip captures her riffing on the word “fraud” while discussing how companies should respond to federal audits.

Originally intended as a motivational talk for immigrant tech workers, the speech has become a lightning rod in one of the most volatile controversies the $500-billion US IT consulting sector has faced in years. MAGA activists quickly seized on the clips, framing them as evidence of ideological hostility and systemic abuse within the H-1B visa ecosystem. Online critics labelled ITServe a “foreign lobbying cartel writing H-1B policy,” tagging Vice President J.D. Vance and FBI Director Kash Patel. Influencer Waqas Khan called Murthy the “ringleader of the H-1B crime syndicate,” while others claimed her comments amounted to threats against a sitting president.

Immigration advocates and industry insiders defended Murthy, saying the backlash cherry-picked inflammatory lines from a speech delivered years ago. They emphasised that the full address urged confidence, civic engagement, and unity rather than literal violence. Some ITServe members also alleged that fake or anonymous MAGA-aligned accounts—some reportedly linked to Pakistan—amplified the controversy to inflame tensions ahead of expected visa policy changes.

Murthy’s prominence has amplified scrutiny. Her firm has filed over 10,000 H-1B and PERM cases since 2020, giving her visibility among foreign-born IT professionals already concerned about Trump’s second-term proposals to raise H-1B fees by $100,000 and expand social media vetting. She has also received recognition for community work in Democrat-led Maryland.

Facing mounting pressure, ITServe Alliance distanced itself from Murthy while reaffirming support for the administration. On December 3, the group stated: “Our organization and leadership are committed to working with President Trump and his administration on common-sense immigration reforms... ITServe Alliance wants to be clear that we stand with President Trump and his administration in stopping illegal immigration and reforming the system with merit-based solutions.” This marked a rare partisan posture for an organisation that usually avoids direct political alignment.

The fallout also led Republican Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to withdraw from delivering a keynote at ITServe’s flagship Synergy 2025 conference in Puerto Rico.

Founded in 2010 by Indian-American entrepreneurs, mainly from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, ITServe represents over 2,200 IT services and staffing firms. Critics accuse it of being a pressure bloc for outsourcing companies, citing more than 30 lawsuits challenging H-1B regulations, while supporters stress its adherence to US law and contribution to innovation and job growth.

With Trump’s administration intensifying enforcement, pursuing FARA probes, and urging Senate Republicans to tighten work visa rules, Indian-origin tech professionals—who account for roughly 70% of H-1B recipients—face increasing uncertainty. For ITServe, aligning with Trump now seems as much a strategic survival move as a political statement.