‘American dream just got killed’: Internet reacts as Trump slaps $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visas
The announcement triggered a flood of responses on social media, with many calling it the end of the American dream for thousands of foreign workers — particularly Indian tech professionals, who make up the majority of H-1B holders.
US President Donald Trump has announced sweeping changes to the H-1B visa programme, a move that has sent shockwaves through Indian tech circles and sparked an avalanche of reactions online.
On Friday, Trump signed a proclamation titled “Restriction on entry of certain nonimmigrant workers”, which makes it mandatory for companies to pay a hefty $100,000 per year for every H-1B visa holder they employ. The President argued that the visa system was being misused, calling it both an “economic” and a “national security” risk.
“The abuse of the H-1B programme is also a national security threat. Domestic law enforcement agencies have identified and investigated H-1B-reliant outsourcing companies for engaging in visa fraud, conspiracy to launder money, and other illicit activities,” Trump said, justifying the crackdown.
Internet reacts: ‘H-1B is dead’
The announcement triggered a flood of responses on social media, with many calling it the end of the American dream for thousands of foreign workers — particularly Indian tech professionals, who make up the majority of H-1B holders.
One user wrote, “H-1B fee of $100,000 is not a one-time fee. It is $100,000 per year, every year. H-1B is dead. They might as well end it formally.”
Another added, “Imagine someone vacationing in India for a wedding or to take care of their parents. They must be back in the US before midnight, September 21, or they can’t return without paying $100K. This is chaos.”
A third user said, “Trump just killed the H-1B visa. Companies now have to pay $100K per year to bring skilled foreign workers to the US. This will push jobs offshore. For Indian techies, the American dream just got killed.”
Others flagged the immediate disruption the move could cause. “Those on an H-1B cannot return to the US from tomorrow unless paying $100K. Software engineers could get stranded abroad. Expect less global travel for work and conferences,” one comment read.
Adding perspective, Snapdeal co-founder Kunal Bahl shared his own experience. “In 2007, sitting at my desk in Microsoft I got an email that my H-1B visa was rejected. It was crushing and numbing at that moment, but life-changing eventually when I moved back to India. To those impacted today, be positive. There is something much bigger & better in store for you.”
The bigger impact
The H-1B visa has long been a pathway for Indian IT professionals and engineers to work in the US, often seen as a stepping stone to the ‘American dream’. With this unprecedented fee hike, critics warn that companies may rethink hiring foreign workers altogether, accelerating the trend of offshoring jobs outside the US.