Even as the attacks against Indian professionals in the US, on H-1B work permit visas, have intensified on social media over the past few days; many Indian Americans are becoming increasingly concerned over their security and safety.
“The recent social media attacks targeting Indian professionals and Indian Americans are deeply troubling. It’s time to step up and act.As a community leader, I have prioritised fostering inclusivity and protecting the safety of all,” says Rishi Kumar, Silicon Valley based tech executive and executive board member of the California Democratic Party. The potential spillover of racist social media rhetoric into real world violence is a concern among the Indian American community in Silicon Valley and across the US.
Atal Agarwal, founder of startup OpenSphere, that supports global high-skilled talent, is worried about the possibility of online attacks turning into attacks in real life. “It is important for Indians to understand the perception around them and continue to be peaceful and report to authorities in case of any issues. Racism isn’t the solution to racism, so it’s suggested to stay away from acts of racism,” he cautions.
While Indian American Congressmen Ro Khanna, Shri Thanedar and Raja Krishnamoorthi have addressed the recent spurt of racist attacks against Indians on social media, the community is also hoping for greater bipartisan support from elected and business leaders in creating a safer environment for all minorities. “While interventions by Indian American leaders are commendable and bring much-needed visibility to the issue, they alone cannot solve the problem. Action must come from all sectors of American society, particularly the corporate and civic spheres,” says Robinder Sachdev, president of Delhi based think tank, Imagindia Institute, and one of the founders of US India Political Action Committee, a bipartisan non-profit organisation.
He adds that both Republican and Democratic leaders in elected positions need to take a clear, bipartisan stand against such divisive rhetoric. “Beyond symbolic gestures, there is a pressing need for concrete measures, such as strengthening hate crime laws, ensuring accountability for social media platforms that amplify such toxicity, and fostering dialogue to dispel myths fuelling these prejudices,” feels Sachdev.
Ajay Bhutoria, a Democrat community leader and deputy national finance chair of the Democratic Party, has been actively engaging with the Indian American community in Silicon Valley to counter the racist attacks and raise awareness through dialogue at various levels over the past few days. “I am also working closely with the White House, tech platforms, and advocacy groups to report hateful content and urge platforms to implement stricter measures against hate speech. I am in touch with law enforcement agencies to remain vigilant and adequately protect vulnerable communities. Moreover, we are advocating for robust hate crime laws and policies to deter such actions and ensure swift justice when incidents occur,” he says. He adds that Democratic Party leaders, including those in elected positions, are actively working to address the issues of racism.
The Indian American community in Silicon Valley, which is home to America’s top tech companies and also the largest number of Indian IT professionals, is at the heart of the controversy and debate around H-1B visas and Kumar, a central committee elected member of the Santa Clara County Democratic Party, feels that the governor of California and candidates running for governor (for the 2026 race) need to take a stance. “I am reaching out to all of them. I will also advocate with social media companies to develop stricter enforcement mechanisms against hate speech and targeted attacks and ask for passing of resolutions protecting the Indian American community. As a Biden delegate, I will urge the White House to take decisive action to address and resolve any challenges that arise,” he says.
Indian American organisations, too, are playing a vital role in organising discussions within the community to promote awareness and solidarity. “Civic engagement is an important part of our mission. We have frequently promoted inter-racial harmony, and stood steadfastly against racism through our events and statements. In 2024, we witnessed racial epithets being hurled at prominent Indian origin participants in the American political process. We issued strong statements denouncing the racially motivated invective,” says Sanjeev Joshipura, Washington DC based executive director of Indiaspora, a non-profit organisation of global Indian origin leaders. Indiaspora and the South Asian Bar Association (SABA) are collaborating to devise an initiative aimed at redressing hate crimes against the community and many Indian diaspora leaders and associations that are active in creating a space for respectful and civil discourse among and across communities. “Conversations have been had at local, state and federal levels, with a view to ensure that the problem is understood and addressed by lawmakers and government agencies,” Joshipura says.
While billionaire businessmen and co-leaders of President Elect Donald Trump’s planned department of government efficiency (DOGE), Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, have spoken out in support of high skilled talent and professionals on H-1B visas; providing a pushback against the rising tide of racism among certain factions of make America great again (MAGA) supporters; many feel that American industry also needs to play a pivotal and proactive role. “Industry-driven campaigns can serve as a powerful counter-narrative to xenophobia and racism,” says Sachdev. As an entrepreneur in the US, Agarwal is disappointed that leaders at top tech companies, including Microsoft and Google, have not yet spoken out against the recent attacks.
In view of the escalating controversy, President Elect Trump may be compelled to address the issue of immigration reforms soon after taking office and reconcile divergent views among his supporters. “Trump’s handling of this issue will be an early litmus test for his administration’s ability to navigate complex and competing priorities. He will need to strike a balance between appeasing his supporters and maintaining policies that ensure America’s continued competitiveness in a globalised economy,” feels Sachdev.
The need for reforms of America’s immigration laws have long been felt by law-makers, industry leaders and policy drivers. “It is essential to acknowledge the flaws in our broken immigration system and advocate for reforms that not only address systemic challenges but also align with America’s broader interests. For years, the H-1B programme has been a contentious issue, but I’m encouraged by the ongoing dialogue pushing for reform. To ensure long-term success, we must advocate for a data-driven legal immigration system that benefits American society while upholding and amplifying core American values,” says Kumar.
For an overhaul of the H-1B visa programme and larger immigration reforms, the new US President will have to work with the US Congress. “Some of the steps towards employment-based immigration reform should include making H-1Bs more merit-based; addressing the needs of the US economy and favouring US educated foreign students; removing per country limits to reduce green card backlogs; increasing overall immigrant visa numbers; rebalancing family and employment-based immigration and reducing chain migration in the family category,” feels Manjunath Gokare, an immigration lawyer based in Atlanta, Georgia.
Thousands of Indians employed in the US are stuck on long green card queues and the recent attacks against the H-1B programme are adding to their challenges. “The green card backlog in employment-based categories has been a cause of consternation for India-born nationals for several years now. Allied to this is the massive problem of ageing out of India-born children of these applicants. Although there have been Bills in US Congress proposing the removal of the per-country cap, they failed to muster support from immigration stakeholders for a number of reasons,” says Diya A Mathews, immigration lawyer and partner at law firm Chugh, LLP.
In the wake of the acrimonious face-off between different sections of his supporters, President elect Trump may be pushed to address immigration reforms in the early days of his 2.0 administration. It is hoped that the mistake will not be made of restricting legal employment-based immigration in the efforts to curb illegal immigration.
