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Indian American opposes H-1B renewals
The comments were met with strong reactions, particularly from members of the Indian diaspora and supporters of the H-1B program
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Staff Reporter
- Fri, 16, May 2025
- 12:22 EDT
- 23
Rohit Joy / X
An Indian American Republican from Texas denounced the H-1B visa program, claiming it undermines American competitiveness.
Rohit Joy, who serves as the treasurer for Collin County Young Republicans reacted to a post by U.S. Congressman Rich McCormick, who recently led a bipartisan proposal to allow domestic H-1B visa renewals within the U.S.
Also Read: Rep. Subramanyam urges expansion of H-1B visa renewals
“It's time to modernize our visa system by reducing costs, boosting efficiency, and keeping America competitive,” McCormick had written on X, sharing a letter addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging formalization of a pilot program.
Nope. All H-1B visas should expire, the program should be ended, and visa holders should be sent back to their home countries.
— Rohit Joy (@rohitjoycpa) May 15, 2025
It has nothing to do with keeping America competitive. Our major national competitors don’t bring in large numbers of foreign workers. https://t.co/X97E7Ed8sG
Joy responded sharply to the initiative, writing, “Nope. All H-1B visas should expire, the program should be ended, and visa holders should be sent back to their home countries. It has nothing to do with keeping America competitive. Our major national competitors don’t bring in large numbers of foreign workers.”
The comments were met with strong reactions, particularly from members of the Indian diaspora and supporters of the H-1B program, which enables U.S. companies to hire highly skilled foreign workers, particularly in the tech sector.
Several users accused Joy of hypocrisy, noting his Indian heritage and speculating whether his own family had benefited from the same visa program in earlier generations.
The exchange escalated with some social media users making inflammatory remarks and trolling Joy for being a “birthright citizen.”
The debate highlights ongoing divisions over the H-1B program, which has long been a flashpoint in U.S. immigration discourse. While proponents argue it addresses skill shortages and strengthens American competitiveness, critics claim it depresses wages and displaces domestic workers.
In 2024, the U.S. Department of State launched a pilot program permitting 20,000 eligible H-1B visa holders to renew their visas domestically, eliminating the need for international travel. Half of the participants were Indian nationals.
Following its success, Congressman Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA), along with McCormick, Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), and 17 other lawmakers, urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to expand and formalize the program. In their letter, they cited reduced processing delays, improved domestic biometric capabilities, and lower burdens on U.S. embassies abroad.
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