US right-wing political activist and MAGA loyalist Charlie Kirk (31) was shot dead on Wednesday while attending an event in Utah, police confirmed. Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was known for his combative style and hard-liner views on immigration, abortion, gun rights and race. Last week, Kirk wrote about Indian professionals working in the US in an X post. “America does not need more visas for people from India. Perhaps no form of legal immigration has so displaced American workers as those from India. Enough already. We’re full. Let’s finally put our own people first,” he posted.

Kirk’s remarks tapped into a growing chorus of conservative criticism of the H-1B visa system. Far-right activist Laura Loomer went further, urging US President Donald Trump to consider banning outsourcing to Indian call centers. “You don’t need to press 2 for English anymore. Make Call Centers American Again,” she posted on X on September 5.

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Criticism of H-1B visa system in US

The remarks made by Kirk were in response to a post by Fox News journalist Laura Ingraham. “Don’t forget that any trade deal with India will require us to give them more visas. I’d rather not pay them in visas and trade deficits. Let Modi see what terms he can get from Xi instead,” she posted.

However, a report from the American Immigration Council noted that immigrant and native-born workers tend to complement each other, with Indian H-1B holders making vital contributions to sectors like Silicon Valley and healthcare. They also pay billions in taxes annually and bolster local economies.

Under Trump 2.0

Under the current Trump administration, student visas for Indians have been curtailed, tariffs on Indian goods doubled and the diplomatic relationship has been severely strained. Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna recently said that “we can’t allow the ego of Donald Trump to destroy a strategic relationship with India, that is key to ensuring that America leads and not China.”