US President Donald Trump has led a vehement crackdown against immigration over the past year — imposing a whopping $100,000 visa fee for H-1B applicants and replacing the longstanding lottery system with wage and skill-based selection. Indians in the United States have also faced growing backlash, with an advocacy group approaching the FBI on Friday.

The Indian American Advocacy Council has raised serious concerns over online posts targeting the community. It sought intervention from law enforcement officials and warned that such messages could turn into real-world violence if left unchecked.

Given that Indians account for over 70% of these work visas, social media has seen a surge in hate-filled rants and racist posts in recent weeks. Many users have also accused Indians of ‘stealing’ American jobs and called for them to “go back”. IACC noted that users — including right-wing influencer handles — have also called for ” mass violence against Indians”. 

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Indian American group flags online threats amid H-1B debate

The Indian American Advocacy Council (IAAC) said that recent online comments have gone far beyond political debate and are now dangerous in nature. According to the group, the language being used puts Indian Americans at risk. IAAC has urged social media platforms and US law enforcement agencies to step in before the situation worsens.

“This is not politics or edgy talk,” the council said in a statement shared on social media. “This is incitement, and it puts real people in danger.” Rajeev Sharma, a founding member associated with the IAAC, said the conversation has shifted alarmingly. What started as a policy debate has slowly turned troubling.

Sharma wrote that he was “deeply unsettled and frustrated” by how a legitimate discussion had been twisted into language that is “dehumanising and, at times, genocidal in tone.”

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In a separate message, the IAAC thanked those who came forward in defence of the Indian American community. “We want to thank EVERY AMERICAN who stood up for Indians in the US,” the group said. “Genocidal rhetoric has no place in America.”

Criticism of anti-India remarks

The advocacy council has asked the FBI and other law enforcement agencies to look closely at the public activity of an individual it accused of promoting violence online. The group wants authorities to examine whether there is any coordination, funding, or network behind the threats being amplified on social media.

At the same time, the council urged X, the social media platform (formerly Twitter), to remove posts that encourage violence and to suspend users who repeatedly break the rules. “Threats against an ethnic community are not acceptable. Not online. Not anywhere,” the group said.

One X user, Sidharth, who had flagged the issue firsthand by sharing examples of troubling language used by commentator Matt Forney, praised those who spoke up and urged X to suspend Forney, saying “it is HIGH TIME” the platform takes action.

Forney, who faced criticism in recent months for anti-Indian remarks, sparked fresh outrage after a Christmas Day post that was later deleted, according to multiple media reports. The post allegedly included language calling for violence against the Indian community in the US.

As debates over immigration and economic policy continue ahead of the 2026 election cycle, advocacy groups say they are closely watching for language that crosses the line from disagreement into harm.