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Asha Motwani calls for stricter H-1B rules, cites ‘mediocre’ hires
She said that “mediocre engineering talent coming to the US on H1B Visas is a bad idea.”
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Malvika Choudhary - Mon, 24, Nov 2025
- 14:26 EST
- 8
Asha Jadeja Motwani / Indiaspora
Prominent Indian American venture capitalist Asha Jadeja Motwani called for increased tightening of the United States’ H-1B visa program, arguing that the system has increasingly become a route for “mediocre engineering talent” instead of top-tier global professionals.
Her comments, posted on X, amassed over 54,000 views.In her post, Motwani initially expressed support for the program writing, , “ I do believe that America is doing the right thing by identifying and attracting top talent from around the world, especially for our technology sector.”
Also Read: Asha Motwani claims role in Trump’s H1-B shift
While she acknowledged that the program helps America gain an innovation edge, she went on to state that “mediocre engineering talent coming to the US on H1B Visas is a bad idea.”
About my position on H1B visas, let me clarify once again, so there is no ambiguity. I do believe that America is doing the right thing by identifying and attracting top talent from around the world, especially for our technology sector. This is giving American technology…
— Asha Jadeja Motwani (@ashajadeja325) November 23, 2025
According to her, H1-B visas must be reduced in number and reserved only for exceptional foreign talent, allowing Americans access to other jobs in the technology sector. The remarks drew criticism online, with many users arguing that the framing of “top talent versus mediocre hires” fuels anti-immigrant sentiment at a time when the visa program remains politically charged.
Others backed her position, saying the United States should prioritize specialized, high-value roles rather than expanding the intake.
Motwani, a donor to the Republican Party, has been vocal about the programme for months. Earlier, she claimed on X that she had spoken to President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance about the value of Indian engineers and the need for a merit-driven system.
She wrote that she would “like to believe” their shifting stance on H-1B visas may be linked to her advocacy, adding that the administration is “refreshingly open to good ideas coming from either side of the aisle.”
Referring to her own journey and that of her late husband, Stanford computer scientist Rajeev Motwani, she said they might not have entered the United States “if the current H1B drama had been playing out in the 1980s.”
Motwani’s comments come at a time of significant shifts in the H-1B landscape. Recent data shows that large U.S. technology companies now dominate fresh H-1B approvals, while major India-based IT services firms have recorded steep declines.
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