1 hr ago
Congress Says India Could Retaliate Over US Visa Crackdown
The United States has suspended several technology companies from a programme connected to green-card applications for foreign workers.
US officials said the programme had been misused and that American workers were being shut out of jobs.
The suspended firms include Microsoft, Adobe, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCL, Cognizant and Capgemini.
The US also plans to investigate a visa programme used by research scholars at nine universities.
India's Congress party criticized the US actions and said India could respond using laws already passed.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not take those steps.
The article does not report that the Indian government has announced a response.
The US officials presented the actions as part of efforts to address alleged fraud and protect American workers.
Congress said India has options to respond to US actions affecting Indian IT professionals.
Jairam Ramesh accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being unwilling to retaliate.
The US suspended eight IT firms from a programme used to apply for green cards for foreign workers.
US officials said the suspensions and investigations address alleged misuse of employment and visa programmes.
The US also announced an investigation into the J-1 programme used by researchers at nine universities.
- Who
- The US government, Indian IT professionals and firms, and India's Congress party, including Jairam Ramesh.
- What
- The US suspended eight IT firms from a green-card-related programme and announced a J-1 visa programme investigation; Congress criticized the actions and urged possible retaliation.
- Where
- The actions concern US employment and visa programmes; Congress made its comments in a post on X.
- When
- The US actions were announced on Thursday; Congress commented on Friday.
- Why
- US officials said the employment programme had been abused and had shut Americans out of jobs; Congress argued that India should respond.
Congress's criticism
US officials' rationale
Response to the US actions
Congress's criticism
Congress said India has options to retaliate under existing laws and criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not acting.
US officials' rationale
US officials described the suspensions as action against alleged abuse of the programme and its impact on American workers.
Use of foreign-worker programmes
Congress's criticism
Congress framed the US measures as actions directly targeting Indian IT professionals.
US officials' rationale
Vice President J D Vance and Labour Secretary Keith Sonderling alleged that companies had misused the system and that it disadvantaged Americans.
Key facts
- Companies suspended
- Eight, including Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCL, Capgemini, Microsoft and Adobe.
- Announced by
- Vice President J D Vance, Labour Secretary Keith Sonderling and Attorney General Todd Blanche.
- Programme affected
- The Permanent Labour Certification Programme, used in applications for green cards for foreign workers.
- Additional action
- An investigation into the J-1 visa programme for research scholars.
- Universities mentioned
- Nine universities, including Yale, Harvard, Stanford and Caltech.
- Congress's proposed options
- Jairam Ramesh cited the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, and its Rules.
- H-1B share
- The article says Indian professionals account for over 70 per cent of approved H-1B petitions annually.
Quotes
Jairam Ramesh
Congress general secretary in-charge of communications
“India has a number of options to retaliate under laws already passed by Parliament like the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 and its Rules. But a thoroughly compromised PM now under siege on GyaneshGate will not do so.”
telegraphindia.com
Keith Sonderling
US Labour Secretary
“I am hereby suspending from the Permanent Labour Certification Programme some of the largest IT outsourcing firms in the world, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCL, and Capgemini.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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