India & NRIs need an insider job in Trump’s America

If you are on social media, you couldn’t have missed the heated arguments over the H-1B visa programme. Many top professionals in tech, engineering, and healthcare in US are of Indian origin. US holds a lottery each year to permit 85,000 professionals to be employed by American corporations.

The H-1B programme has been a key factor in US global competitiveness. Some of the top US companies are led by immigrants. But it’s equally true that some companies have exploited the system to recruit cheaper foreign labour, thus depriving qualified Americans and driving down wages.

Now, contrast the annual H-1B number with the over 3.5mn people who cross over into America illegally every year. Unsurprisingly, immigration was a key issue during US elections. But most Indian-Americans imagined the angst was with illegal immigration – not the legal kind. What they didn’t realise is that politics is often driven by emotion.

The important thing is that Indian-Americans comprise just 1.35% of the US population but contribute disproportionately. Their median annual household income is $153,000, double the American average, and they account for 5-6% of income tax revenues. They have co-founded 72 of 648 US unicorns, they lead 16 Fortune 500 companies, and own 60% of America’s hotels. Collectively, they generate 11-12mn American jobs. Could it be that the very prosperity of this group is fuelling racism in a tough economy? Sure. Success often breeds contempt.

The Carnegie Endowment’s report on Indian-American Attitudes shows that 56% of this demographic identified as Democrats in 2020 but only 47% do so now. That’s a significant swing towards the Republican camp. Many of them must be wondering about the wisdom of the political choice they made. They shouldn’t. The reality is that neither Democrats nor Republicans are for – or against – them.

Around 51% of Indian-Americans are Hindu. This subgroup has always been more comfortable with Democrats. For this group to swing Republican shows just how badly the Democrats messed up. Recall the badgering of India and Hindus by Democrats such as Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Pramila Jayapal; the needling of India through USCIRF reports; the SWAT raids on BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in New Jersey; attempts to pass resolution SB403 for perceived caste discrimination in US; the propping up of Khalistani terror suspects; a regime change operation in Bangladesh at the cost of Hindu lives…the list is long.

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