"Constantly looking down on Indians," Cong leader Akhilesh Prasad Singh slams Trump's H-1B visa fee hike

Patna (Bihar) [India], September 21 (ANI): Congress MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh on Sunday condemned US President Donald Trump's executive order imposing a $100,000 fee on companies sponsoring H-1B visa applicants, describing it as a blatant display of disdain towards Indians and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Singh also drew parallels to a recent incident involving the deportation of around 300 Indians from the US, accusing authorities of treating them with utter disregard for human dignity.
"The way they treat Indians shows they don't want to see PM Modi or Indians at all. Trump and his administration are constantly looking down on Indians... When around 300 Indians were deported from the US, they were loaded onto a plane like grains are shipped in sacks... They were denied even basic human values," he said.
These remarks came after US President Donald Trump's new presidential proclamation titled "Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers", imposing a USD 100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications. The measure, effective from September 21, aims to combat what the administration calls widespread abuse of the H-1B programme, particularly by IT outsourcing firms accused of displacing American workers and suppressing wages.
The proclamation argues that the original purpose of H-1B, to bring in highly skilled foreign talent, has been distorted, with the administration claiming that low-wage, entry-level H-1B hires have harmed American graduates and also highlights national security concerns, pointing to investigations into visa fraud and money laundering involving companies that rely heavily on the programme.
As per the order, employers must now provide proof of payment when filing H-1B petitions, with enforcement overseen by the US Departments of State and Homeland Security. Limited exemptions are available for cases deemed in the national interest.
This rise in Visa costs are likely to hit the tech cost arbitrage model where Indian software engineers and other talent were working onsite in the US, but could see the rise of Global Capability Centres (GCCs) in India.
Meanwhile, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) clarified that the USD 100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications will only apply to the new applicants and not to the petitions submitted prior to September 21.
"This proclamation only applies prospectively to petitions that have not yet been filed. The proclamation does not apply to aliens who: are the beneficiaries of petitions that were filed prior to the effective date of the proclamation, are the beneficiaries of currently approved petitions, or are in possession of validly issued H-1B non-immigrant visas," Joseph B Edlow, Director of USCIS, clarified in a memorandum on Saturday (local time).
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also confirmed the same. She also stated that the USD 100,000 fee on the H-1B visa application is a one-time fee, clarifying the misconception that it is an annual fee.
"To be clear: This is NOT an annual fee. It's a one-time fee that applies only to the petition. This applies only to new visas, not renewals, and not current visa holders," Karoline Leavitt said in a post on X.
She also informed that the fee will not be charged on H-1B visa holders who are currently outside of the country. (ANI)