Archive · 15 Jan 2026
US Firms Face Rising Anti-Indian Hate Threats
Some people in the US are becoming more hostile towards Indians, especially those who come to the US for work.
This is happening because more Indians are getting special work visas called H-1B visas.
Some Americans think these workers are taking jobs away from them.
After the US government announced changes to the H-1B visa program, there were more online attacks and threats against Indian Americans.
Some companies, like FedEx, were targeted because their leaders are Indian.
The government is now trying to make it harder for companies to hire workers from India by making them pay more money and prioritizing higher-paid workers.
Anti-Indian sentiment in the US has increased, with threats of violence up 12% and online slurs up 69% in the year leading to November.
The rise in hostility is linked to the H-1B visa program, with Indian nationals holding 71% of these visas.
US companies like FedEx, Walmart, Verizon, and Dish Network have faced threats and online attacks over alleged H-1B visa fraud.
The White House has proposed a $100,000 fee to limit H-1B applicants and will prioritize higher-paid workers from February.
Experts attribute the rise in anti-Indian rhetoric to a broader trend of anti-immigrant sentiment and ethnocentrism in the US.
- Who
- US companies and Indian American entrepreneurs
- What
- Rising anti-Indian sentiment and threats
- When
- Increase noted in the year leading up to November, with a significant spike after September 2023
- Where
- United States
- Why
- Anti-immigrant rhetoric and perceived job competition from H-1B visa holders
- Increase in Anti-Indian Threats
- 12% increase in threats of violence against South Asian people, especially Indians, in the year leading up to November.
- Increase in Online Slurs
- 69% increase in the use of online slurs against Indians over the same period.
- H-1B Visa Holders
- Indian nationals hold 71% of H-1B visas for skilled foreign workers.
- Proposed H-1B Fee
- $100,000 fee proposed by the White House to limit H-1B applicants.
- H-1B Application Priority
- From February, DHS will prioritize H-1B applications from the highest-paid workers.
- FedEx CEO
- Raj Subramaniam, FedEx CEO, targeted for his Indian heritage after a truck crash.
- Companies Affected
- Walmart, Verizon, Dish Network, and others faced threats over alleged H-1B visa fraud.
