Confusion and anger spread this weekend among foreign tech workers as President Donald Trump announced new fees for H-1B visas, part of his wider immigration crackdown. The surprise proclamation triggered panic among Indian and Chinese employees on temporary visas, who abruptly cut short holidays and scrambled to return to the United States before a Sunday deadline.
Tech giants including Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet and Goldman Sachs sent urgent memos to staff warning them to get back quickly and to avoid international travel. At San Francisco airport, several Indian nationals said they abandoned flights or asked to be let off planes after hearing the news. One Emirates flight to Dubai was delayed for hours as passengers deplaned.
“I had to choose between family and staying here,” said an engineer whose wife, also an H-1B holder, continued on to India to care for her sick mother. Others posted on Chinese social media app Rednote about similar experiences, with one woman canceling a trip to Paris mid-taxiing after her company’s lawyers urged her to return immediately.
The White House later clarified the order applies only to new visa applicants, not current holders or renewals, easing some of the panic by Sunday. Still, the episode rattled Silicon Valley, with workers fearing they would be barred from re-entering once the new rule took effect.
Trump’s move marks a major shift from his earlier support for the H-1B program. His administration argues the visa has been abused to suppress U.S. wages, while critics say the crackdown will deprive companies of needed talent. Under the proclamation, employers will pay a one-time fee of $100,000 per petition for H-1B workers, though Homeland Security can grant exemptions.
The sudden change ignited fierce debate online. Some foreign workers described their “Fast & Furious-style” rush back to the U.S. as “surreal,” while others called themselves “H-1B slaves.” Netflix chairman Reed Hastings praised the move for potentially ending the program’s lottery system, and IBM vice chairman Gary Cohn said the panic had subsided by Sunday after clarification.
Despite the administration’s assurances, many foreign tech workers say the episode has shaken their confidence in the U.S. as a destination for skilled labor. “It’s quite tragic. We’ve built a life here,” one engineer told Reuters at the airport.
