Indian Diaspora Pulse

Ongoing tightening of H-1B, student visas, green card backlogs, and rising anti-Indian sentiment. Latest: FIIDS formally opposes proposed $103,265 H-1B fee, warning combined $203,265 burden with OPT fee threatens student-to-work pipeline, 17% enrollment decline, $3.4B projected loss. US moves to make $103,265 H-1B visa fee permanent. September Visa Bulletin confirms EB-2 India unavailable, EB-1 may hit limit. Bipartisan Senate letter pushes State Dept to fix student visa delays. Practical guide on vetting immigration consultants published. Other developments: USCIS zero grace period, proposed elimination of 60-day grace period, ICE ankle monitor expansion, DOL calling H-1B 'criminal enterprise', F-1 visa issuance to Indian students dropped 62% in 2026, social media screening, student sanctuary campuses. Counter-narratives include Ackman/Musk pro-immigration, new bills for green card reform, Trump proposal for automatic green cards for graduates (not policy). Anti-H-1B group in Dallas urges class-action lawsuits. USCIS tightens public charge rules, DHS proposes fixed-stay rule for student visas, US halts EB-2 allocation for Indians, $100k OPT fee proposal, 9-11 fee expansion to H-1B renewals, J-1 compliance tightened, RFE policy uncertainty. India's remittance growth tied to policy tightening. Green card backlog shaping marriage decisions. Enforcement targeting LPRs for speech. Anti-Indian sentiment in North Texas, Oklahoma, Australia death threats, NZ First party proposes stripping PRs of voting rights. Canada freezes parents/grandparents sponsorship. UK Global Talent Visa enquiries rise from US-based H-1B holders. India expands overseas labor mobility deals. IAAC launches Anti-Indian Hate Tracker. FIIDS urges halt to four-year visa cap. Alabama House race racist attack on Hanu Karlapalem. US seeks to revoke citizenship of Indian American man; 123 denaturalization actions since Jan 2025. Pew data: US favorability of India dropped to 45% (down from 51% in 2023), Europe improved. Raja Krishnamoorthi accuses Trump of normalizing anti-Indian hate, slams $100k H-1B fee. 81% of Indian study-abroad aspirants plan to return home. Indians become second largest foreign homebuyers in Texas despite visa crackdowns. Under-the-radar changes: advance parole trap, birth tourism order, online-only filing shift. Law firm index reports 175K visa revocations. Decline of 'Big Four' destinations for Indian students — shift to Europe. India overtakes China as top EB-5 investor market. Comprehensive roundup of 2026 US immigration rule changes. Texas Rep. Gene Wu warns Asian Americans not getting a pass. Proposed H-1B fee rule clears White House review. Advance parole rule reversal (Matter of Delcarmen Lara). Times of India analysis on new H-1B selection system. USCIS revamps Green Card rules from September. Personal account of H-1B worker facing two layoffs. Op-ed arguing restricting legal immigration won't fix system. Laredo Immigrant Alliance warns of fake immigration attorneys. Vivek Wadhwa calls to abolish H-1B. Texas restaurant data shows labor shortages. California Medi-Cal changes. September Visa Bulletin mixed relief. Mural defaced in Berkeley. J-1 visa program under scrutiny. Recent immigration policies threaten supply of direct care workers, affecting Indian diaspora in healthcare.