Debate in the United States over the H-1B visa programme has increasingly shifted from economic concerns about employment and wages to rhetoric that researchers say is fuelling hate speech and racial hostility toward Indians and Indian-origin communities. Recent incidents, including a contentious city council meeting in Frisco, Texas, have highlighted how immigration policy discussions are increasingly intertwined with inflammatory narratives portraying Indians as responsible for an alleged “takeover” of American jobs.
The Frisco meeting, originally intended for local civic matters, turned into a heated confrontation between Indian-origin residents and visiting activists who raised objections to the H-1B visa programme, despite the issue falling outside municipal authority. The episode has drawn renewed attention because it reflects a broader national trend in which debates over skilled immigration are increasingly accompanied by racialised language targeting South Asians.
Research cited by The New York Times, based on findings from the advocacy organisation Stop AAPI Hate, indicates that public discourse surrounding the H-1B programme has moved beyond policy disagreements and now frequently includes online harassment and anti-Indian sentiment. According to the group, Indians’ large representation among visa recipients, combined with political developments such as trade tensions between the US and India and the appointment of Indian-origin figures within the Trump administration, contributed to a surge in hostile social media narratives during 2025. Analysts warn that such rhetoric increases the risk of real-world harassment and discrimination.
The H-1B visa itself is a non-immigrant work authorisation that allows US companies to hire foreign professionals in specialised fields including technology, engineering, medicine, and education. While new visas are capped at 85,000 annually, the overall number of approvals rises due to renewals and extensions. Indians form the largest share of beneficiaries; research from the Pew Research Center shows that they accounted for nearly three-quarters of approximately 400,000 H-1B approvals in 2023. Many work in high-skill STEM positions where US employers often report shortages of qualified domestic workers, including roles in software development, healthcare, and education.
Despite its economic role, critics within the United States argue that some companies use the programme to replace American workers with lower-paid foreign employees. Legislative proposals reflecting this sentiment have emerged, including efforts by some lawmakers to phase out the H-1B system entirely within the coming years. Supporters of reform claim the programme depresses wages and disadvantages domestic workers, while industry groups maintain that it fills critical talent gaps essential for innovation and economic competitiveness.
Advocacy organisations say that policy criticism is increasingly being overshadowed by racialised messaging. Data from Stop AAPI Hate, cited in reporting by The New York Times, found that between January 2023 and December 2025, the use of anti-South Asian slurs linked to threats or targeted violence rose by 115 percent online. Another analysis by the Centre for the Study of Organised Hate reported that posts promoting anti-Indian slogans and stereotypes, including calls to deport Indians, collectively generated more than 280 million views over a short period in 2025.
Researchers observed that hostility intensified during periods of geopolitical tension, including disputes over tariffs between the US and India, as well as after high-profile news events that became flashpoints for online mobilisation. Technology hubs such as Silicon Valley, where many H-1B workers are employed, have reportedly seen especially strong circulation of narratives claiming Indians are displacing American workers from high-paying STEM jobs.
Stop AAPI Hate’s analysis also noted contradictions within online messaging, where Indian migrants are simultaneously portrayed as job-stealers through skilled visa programmes and as burdens on public welfare systems. Such conflicting narratives, researchers argue, contribute to broader racial resentment by framing immigrants as both economic competitors and social liabilities. Immigration-focused hostility, including “deport Indians” messaging and similar slogans, accounted for the majority of anti-India content analysed, generating the highest levels of engagement online.
Advocacy groups warn that unless discussions about immigration policy are separated from racial scapegoating, the escalation of hostile rhetoric may continue to normalise discrimination against Indians and Indian-origin citizens. As the H-1B visa programme increasingly becomes a political flashpoint in the United States, researchers caution that unchecked online discourse risks translating digital hostility into real-world intimidation, harassment, and potential violence targeting South Asian communities.
