US President Donald Trump is facing vehement calls to roll back a newly imposed $100,000 fee for H-1B visa applicants. PTI reported that a group of US lawmakers has urged the POTUS to withdraw his recent proclamations — warning that the aggressive immigration crackdown could hurt America’s technological advancement and further strain relations with India.
India accounts for the most H-1B visa holders, accounting for about 71% of total H-1B approvals in FY 2024, followed by China.
US lawmakers urge Trump to roll back H-1B visa restrictions
In a letter sent on Thursday, Representatives Jimmy Panetta, Ami Bera, Salud Carbajal and Julie Johnson asked the President to suspend the September 19 proclamation titled “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers.”
Trump’s new rule imposes a $100,000 fee on new H-1B petitions and adds several other restrictions, while also proposing to cap international students at 15 percent. The lawmakers said the step could harm the United States’ “innovation ecosystem” and negatively affect economic and strategic ties with India.
“As members of a recent delegation to India, we recognise the importance of the H-1B programme not just to the US economy, national security and competitive advantage, but also to our relationship with India and to the Indian-American communities that we represent,” they wrote.
‘Indian talent drives US leadership in technology’
The lawmakers pointed out that many of America’s most successful companies were either founded or led by former H-1B visa holders, who “drive new businesses, job creation, and keep the United States at the forefront of technological progress”.
The letter mentioned how Indian nationals made up 71 per cent of H-1B holders last year, making them an important part of US leadership in information technology and artificial intelligence.
“At a time when China is investing aggressively in AI and advanced technologies, we must continue to attract the world’s best talent,” the lawmakers said. They described the H-1B system as a “cornerstone” of US competitiveness in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), adding that research shows H-1B professionals contribute to “innovation, patent creation and business growth rather than replacing American workers.”
The lawmakers added how the H-1B programme also strengthens America’s ties with India, calling the country a “key democratic partner” in the Indo-Pacific region. Writing that the H-1B programme goes far beyond just meeting labor needs, the lawmakers said it plays a key role in “securing US leadership in industries that will shape global power in the 21st century.”
Congressman Jimmy Panetta said the visa system has played one of the most crucial parts in America’s innovation story. “The H-1B visa programme is an important part of why the United States continues to lead in technological innovation, and is needed now more than ever with the recent sharp rise of artificial intelligence,” he said.
Panetta believes that the programme should be enhanced with more possibilities and not limited to only a handful of corporations that can afford “exorbitant” visa fees.
