The Trump administration’s abrupt move to impose a $100,000 fee on new H-1B skilled worker visa applications has sent shockwaves through America’s technology sector and the vast Indian immigrant community that powers it. Announced last Friday and set to take effect this past Sunday, the directive sparked panic and confusion for workers, businesses, and families — culminating in a frenzied rush to return to the United States before the new rule’s midnight deadline. The initial communication was so vague that even major corporations and foreign governments scrambled for clarification, fearing a sudden halt to the flow of talent that has become vital to American competitiveness.

Over the course of a tense 24-four hours, large firms like Microsoft, Amazon, and Goldman Sachs issued urgent messages to Indian H-1B visa holders abroad, warning that travel could trigger prohibitive costs or entry bans. Families cut vacations short; business trips were canceled; tech stocks even dipped as uncertainty rocked U.S. and Indian firms reliant on skilled labor. It took until Saturday for the White House to clarify: the $100,000 fee was a one-time charge, not a recurring annual bill, and would only apply to new applicants — leaving current visa holders relieved, but still shaken by the episode’s chaos.

As Indian officials pointed out, such abrupt changes carry “humanitarian consequences” for families, who must constantly adjust to shifting rules while living in limbo for years on temporary visas. The rollout typified an immigration system that neither reflects nor supports the talent and stability Indian immigrants offer the U.S.

Indian immigrants are not just a fraction of the tech workforce — they are central to American innovation, occupying crucial roles from entry-level coding to C-suite leadership. In 2024, 16 Fortune 500 companies were headed by CEOs of Indian origin, including Google, Microsoft, and Adobe. Indian Americans have spearheaded dozens of “unicorn” startup ventures, generated groundbreaking research, and led complex teams in artificial intelligence, pharmaceuticals, and engineering. Their achievements go well beyond Silicon Valley, encompassing scientific advances, health care leadership, and economic stewardship.

It’s important to note, however, that Indian immigrant impact transcends the H-1B program. Those arriving on other visas, or via “nontraditional” paths, become the backbone of America’s small business success. Whether in motels, convenience stores, transport, or food service, Indians routinely accept work that few others want — using grit, frugality, and deferred gratification to build businesses and create jobs. Many start their U.S. lives working long, challenging hours, saving every dollar in pursuit of eventual ownership. Today, Indian Americans own 60 percent of all U.S. hotels and a significant portion of convenience stores, generating annual revenues in the hundreds of billions and employing millions.

Supporting their climb is a family structure rooted in stability and mutual sacrifice. Multigenerational family networks reinforce educational achievement, emotional resilience, and entrepreneurial spirit. Indian families typically invest in tuition above all else, prioritizing their children’s academic and professional futures and weathering adversity unified. Marriage rates and family cohesion among Indian Americans far surpass national averages, giving rise to tight-knit communities with a focus on collective advancement.

Deferred gratification — both financial and emotional — is a hallmark of the Indian American experience. Parents, siblings, and elders routinely forgo personal indulgence to ensure the next generation succeeds, an ethos that spreads from boardrooms to small businesses and community organizations.

Despite their outsized role in American prosperity, Indian immigrants face some of the longest and most opaque immigration hurdles. Green card backlogs often stretch for decades, trapping skilled workers and their families in legal limbo despite years of economic and social contribution. Temporary visa holders live with constant anxiety: should they lose their job, change employers, or need to travel, their right to remain in the U.S. — and sometimes even to see their families — is at risk.

The latest Trump policy debacle only underscores how little consideration is given to the broader effects of visa regulation. Families and businesses had no time to adjust; critical talent pipelines threatened; children and parents worried about separation or forced departure, all against a backdrop of unprecedented achievement and loyalty to their adopted homeland.

America’s greatness has always depended on the drive, ingenuity, and sacrifice of its immigrants. Indian Americans — who lead at the frontier of technology, science, health care, and small business; who bolster American values of hard work, family, and philanthropy — deserve more than perpetual uncertainty and bureaucratic neglect. The country owes fairness not only to skilled H-1B holders but to all who contribute, whether as entrepreneurs, workers, or community builders.

Oddly enough, one would expect the Trump administration to be more attuned to the struggles of Indian Americans — especially given that the Vice President’s wife is herself of Indian descent. A transparent, expedited pathway to residency and citizenship for Indian immigrants of all backgrounds is a moral imperative and an economic necessity. Failing to match their contributions with respect and security is no longer tenable — for America’s leaders, institutions, or its promise. As the Trump administration’s recent actions demonstrate, policy must change to honor those whose relatively small numbers have contributed so much to the success of America.

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Walter Myers III is a Southern California-based technologist and Senior Fellow at Discovery Institute.