'Not targeted at India': US envoy Sergio Gor defends Trump's H-1B visa changes

Amid uncertainty over changes to the H-1B visa programme under the Trump administration, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said the measures were not aimed specifically at India and were part of a broader review of the United States' immigration system.Responding to concerns over the H-1B visa process and reports of an increase in hate crimes in the United States, Gor said, "I don't think the big item to remember on that is, this is not targeted at India. The United States had to take stock of the whole immigration system, every kind of visa. Unfortunately, under previous administrations, our borders were wide open. That's something the President wanted to fix on day one."Drawing a comparison with India's approach to illegal migration, he added, "It's actually something the Prime Minister relates to. When I listen to the Prime Minister speaking in India, he talks about no illegal migrants. We 100% agree with that."Gor said the visa review should not be viewed as being directed at India. "And so, none of this is targeted at India necessarily. It's one of the things that we needed to take stock of. We want to know who's coming here from all over the world, right? And, of course, India has a massive population, so you're impacted by it, but things continue."He also said the US Embassy in India continued to process a large number of visas. "I'll tell you this: our embassy is one of the busiest embassies in the world as it relates to visas, as you know. So, the people-to-people ties will continue, trade will continue, commerce will continue."Highlighting the broader bilateral relationship, Gor said, "India exports more to the United States than almost any other country in the world. India does more defence exercises with the United States than any other country in the world. So, we have incredible things happening, and we'll continue building on that."The H-1B visa remains the primary pathway for Indian professionals seeking high-skilled employment in the United States. According to a recent US Department of Homeland Security report on H-1B workers, "Of the H-1B petitions approved in FY 2025, 70 percent were for beneficiaries whose country of birth was India, indicating a high concentration of approvals in a single foreign labor market. The second most common country of birth was China, accounting for approximately 12 percent of all beneficiaries."Last year, the Trump administration imposed a $100,000 fee on new H-1B applications and proposed replacing the lottery-based selection process with a weighted system. A US court has since struck down the fee, ruling that it amounted to an unauthorized tax. However, the decision is expected to be appealed, leaving uncertainty over the future of the programme.Get the latest business news and top stories. Download the TOI App.Ready to Make a Smarter Property Decision? Build Your Legacy with TOI Homes.