Indian-origin Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has reintroduced the High-Skilled Immigration Reform for Employment (HIRE) Act in the US Congress, proposing to double the annual H-1B visa cap from 65,000 to 130,000 in an effort to strengthen America’s economic competitiveness and maintain its edge in science and technology. The bill comes at a politically sensitive moment — just days after former US Congressman Dave Brat and Indian-American diplomat Mahvash Siddiqui alleged large-scale fraud in the H-1B programme, with Siddiqui claiming that 80–90% of Indian H-1B applications are fraudulent and Brat asserting that consular operations in Chennai alone issued visa numbers far above national limits.
The HIRE Act would not only expand the availability of employment-based visas but would also increase federal investment in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education for US school students. Krishnamoorthi argued that innovation, future job growth, and US global leadership depend on a workforce strengthened by both internationally sourced talent and enhanced domestic training. According to his office, the bill would help US employers — especially in critical technology sectors — fill persistent labour shortages while encouraging long-term development of homegrown scientists and engineers.
The proposed expansion has received strong support from the ITServe Alliance, the largest association of IT services companies in the US. Leaders of the organisation said the legislation would modernise high-skilled immigration and protect American workers by adding transparency and fairness. They argue that increasing H-1B numbers is vital to sustaining innovation, maintaining US competitiveness, and retaining foreign talent that otherwise turns to Canada, Europe, or Asia.
However, the bill arrives at a time of heightened scrutiny. The Trump administration continues to position foreign hiring as a threat to American workers and has intensified monitoring of visa applications. Some advisers close to Donald Trump have publicly labelled the H-1B system “fraudulent.” The fresh accusations from Mahvash Siddiqui and Dave Brat — especially their claims focused on India and the Chennai consulate — have further inflamed debate and offered new ammunition to opponents of immigration expansion.
With strong political pressure for stricter vetting on one side and lobbying for expanded high-skilled immigration on the other, the HIRE Act is set to become a flashpoint in the US immigration and labour policy debate. Supporters call it essential for keeping America competitive in the global technology race, while critics argue the timing is inappropriate amid allegations that the current system is vulnerable to abuse. The bill’s fate will depend on how Congress navigates the opposing narratives of economic necessity and immigration enforcement.
