Politics

India-West Staff Reporter SACRAMENTO, CA – Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San José) has been tapped by Speaker Robert Rivas to chair the newly formed Assembly Select Committee on Alternative Protein Innovation, a move aimed at advancing California’s leadership in sustainable food systems. The

India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, DC - “They just love him. They ran up and hugged him.” That’s how Usha Vance, the Second Lady of the United States, described her children’s heartwarming encounter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Recalling their visit to

Photo: The Harvard Crimson/Briana Howard Pagán India-West News Desk BOSTON, MA - Stanford professor, physician, and bestselling author Abraham Verghese began his address to the Class of 2025 by reflecting on his roots — as an immigrant who grew up in Ethiopia

India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, DC - Representative Ami Bera, M.D. (D-CA), a physician and former member of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, has strongly criticized the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) new policy that restricts updated COVID-19 vaccine approvals

SCHAUMBURG, IL (ANI)-  Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has strongly criticized the Trump administration’s move to freeze new student visa interviews, calling it “a reckless decision,” amid reports of a potential crackdown on international applicants through enhanced social media vetting. Krishnamoorthi underscored the

India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, D.C.- Congressman Ro Khanna directly challenged billionaire Bill Ackman's claims about Harvard University, demanding evidence for his accusations regarding antisemitism and foreign student funding. This exchange comes amidst a heated dispute between Harvard and the Trump administration. Ackman, a Harvard

India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, DC – Representatives Ro Khanna (CA-17) and Jonathan Jackson (IL-01) issued a statement condemning President Trump’s remarks about South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, inspired by their families’ historic struggles. Khanna’s grandfather, Amarnath Vidyalankar, was an Indian freedom fighter.

India-West News Desk NEW YORK, NY – At the Transforming Infrastructure Performance (TIP) Summit held here, Lieutenant Governor Aruna K. Miller took center stage to spotlight Maryland’s rapid and compassionate response to the Key Bridge tragedy. The Key Bridge disaster occurred when the container

India-West News Desk NEW YORK, NY - New York State Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar, the first Indian American elected to the state legislature, introduced a resolution on May 22 to designate May 2025 as Malayalee Heritage Month. The proposal aims to formally

India-West News Desk BOSTON, MA - Harvard sued and won a temporary stop on May 23 against a sweeping Trump administration move that could upend the futures of thousands of international students, including hundreds from India. A federal judge granted an

India-West News Desk NEW YORK, NY - Kash Patel is facing backlash from Jeffrey Epstein’s brother, who refuses to believe the disgraced financier died by suicide. Mark Epstein blasted the FBI official for dismissing widespread conspiracy theories surrounding his brother’s 2019

Photo: Religious Freedom Institute (Left), Photo: Wikipedia (Right) India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, DC -  Two Muslim figures with controversial pasts have been appointed to the White House Advisory Board on the Religious Liberty Commission, drawing sharp criticism from conservative commentators and political

India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, DC — A sweeping new bill proposed by President Donald Trump could sharply increase the cost of sending money back home for millions of Indians living in the United States. Late on May 18, the House Budget Committee

hoto: @UshaVanceNews (Left) India-West Staff Reporter WASHINGTON, DC  — President Donald Trump recognized the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders during Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month on May 16, issuing a formal proclamation that highlighted the personal stories

Photo: Phuong Tran, ACLU of VA India-West News Desk DALLAS, TX - Badar Khan Suri, a Georgetown University researcher, has been released on the order of a federal judge from an immigration detention center in Texas. The ruling allows the Indian national

India-West Staff Reporter WASHINGTON, D.C. – Amidst escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, Representative Ami Bera (CA-D) Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee has issued a strong call for de-escalation and dialogue. "The brutal terror attack on innocent civilians

India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), along with Congressmen Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) and Rich McCormick (R-GA), is urging the U.S. State Department to permanently expand the domestic renewal process for H-1B and other low-risk visa categories. In a bipartisan letter to Secretary of

Photo: Vinayakkprasad.com India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a move that has already rattled Wall Street and divided the medical community, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has appointed Dr. Vinay Prasad—an oncologist, outspoken skeptic of pandemic-era public health policies, and

India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, DC - The Trump administration is seeking to move the case of Badar Khan Suri—an Indian scholar and Georgetown University researcher—from Virginia to Texas, where he is currently being held in immigration detention. The move is part of an escalating

India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, DC - Representatives of Indian billionaire Gautam Adani have held meetings with officials from President Donald Trump’s administration, to find a way to dismiss criminal charges against him in the bribery case. According to a Bloomberg News report

Photo: Instagram India-West News Desk FREMONT, CA – Rep. Ro Khanna of California like some of his fellow Democrats, is taking a grassroots-driven approach to politics, bringing his progressive message directly into Republican strongholds. In a recent op-ed for MSNBC, Khanna detailed his

India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, DC — A heated debate erupted in the House Judiciary Committee this week as Republicans unanimously voted down a Democratic amendment that would have barred Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from using federal funds to detain or

India-West News Desk WASHINGTON D.C. - National Security Advisor Pete Waltz and his deputy, Alex Wong, were removed from their positions on May 1, Fox News confirmed, following a series of controversies and a loss of confidence within the Trump administration.

Photo: @EmergeAmerica India-West News Desk SAN FRANCISCO, CA - "Don’t scatter," former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris was the central message as she called on Americans to unite against President Donald Trump in a forceful speech delivered on April 30. She warned of

India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, D.C. — More than 200 attorneys — nearly 70% of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division — are expected to accept a second round of offers allowing them to resign while still being paid through September, CNN

India-West News Desk DETROIT, MI — In downtown Detroit, a towering billboard just blocks from Huntington Place reads in bold capital letters: “TRUMP MUST BE IMPEACHED — DEFEND DEMOCRACY.” Below it is the name and face of Rep. Shri Thanedar, who

Photo: The Congressman at Cloud Mountain Kombucha Brewing in Urbana. India-West Staff Reporter CHICAGO, IL -Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) completed a three-stop “Trump Tariff Tour” on April 24, visiting Chicago, Bloomington, and Urbana to hear firsthand from small business owners, farmers, and

India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, D.C.- Following a Fox News poll showing his approval rating behind several past presidents at the 100-day mark of his term, the former president publicly lashed out media mogul Rupert Murdoch and his news outlets. In an April

India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, D.C. – An explosive development has emerged in the Trump administration's ongoing battle with the justice system: the FBI's arrest of a Milwaukee County judge, allegedly for obstructing an immigration arrest. It was announced via a now-deleted social

India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is reportedly issuing unexpected Requests for Evidence (RFEs) in certain H-1B visa and employment-based green card cases, demanding residential addresses of foreign workers for biometric data collection. This new

Photo: National Academy Of Inventors India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, DC – Sethuraman Panchanathan, scientist and academic who led the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), resigned on April 25. His departure from the $9 billion agency, a cornerstone of scientific advancement, comes amidst

India-West News Desk ATLANTA, GA - Student visas have been reinstated following an April 18 court order temporarily halting the Trump administration’s move to strip legal status from 133 international students, many of whom were Indian nationals. The ruling by Judge Victoria

BOSTON, MA (ANI) – Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, speaking to the Indian diaspora in Boston, alleged that India’s Election Commission (EC) has been “compromised,” raising serious concerns about the transparency of the country’s electoral process. Citing the Maharashtra state elections, Gandhi

India-West News Desk SCHAUMBURG, IL – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) is doubling down on his demand for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s resignation after new reports revealed Hegseth shared classified military strike information with a private Signal chat that included his wife,

India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, DC - Elon Musk is now planning to visit India later this year, marking a renewed push into a key global market after previously canceling a much-anticipated trip that had been touted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s

India-West News Desk PROVIDENCE, RI - Congress and opposition leader Rahul Gandhi is set to embark on a two-day visit to the US starting April 20, where he will engage with the academic community at Brown University.  Gandhi will address faculty and students, participating in

India-West News Desk DETROIT, MI — Chinmay Deore had done everything by the book. A 21-year-old computer science student at Wayne State University, he was on track to graduate in May 2025, had never violated a single immigration rule, and had

India-West News Desk MADISON, WI — A federal judge has reinstated the F-1 visa status of Krish Lal Isserdasani, a 21-year-old Indian student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, ruling that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security violated due process by revoking

India-West News Desk CHICAGO, IL — When Raghuram Rajan posed the question—calmly, precisely, and with a touch of professorial concern—the air in the room seemed to shift. “Should one worry about threats to the Fed’s independence once you’re gone?” the University

India-West Staff Reporter WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) has launched an official inquiry into the abrupt termination of dozens of Indian American employees at Fannie Mae following allegations of unethical conduct and fraud. In a letter to William Pulte,

India-West News Desk SACRAMENTO, CA — In a bold response to slumping Canadian tourism numbers, California Governor Gavin Newsom is launching an international charm offensive — and it’s aimed directly north. On April 14, Newsom joined forces with Visit California to unveil

Photo: LinkedIn India-West News Desk PASADENA, CA - NASA’s attempt to shield Neela Rajendra has ultimately failed. Rajendra, a prominent advocate for workplace equity and inclusion, has been officially removed from her position at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Her dismissal follows the

India-West News Desk NEW YORK, NY - New York City has officially declared April 14 as Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar Day in honor of the 134th birth anniversary of the principal architect of India’s Constitution and a global icon for social

India-West News Desk ATLANTA, GA - Georgia has become the first U.S. state to introduce legislation addressing Hinduphobia. Senate Bill 375, if passed, would require agencies and law enforcement to consider anti-Hindu bias when investigating discrimination based on race, color, religion,

India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, DC – The top Democrat on the U.S. Senate's intelligence committee on April 10 said he suspected a task force formed by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was pursuing a "witch hunt" for intelligence officers it deems

India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, DC - President Donald Trump abruptly reversed course on his own tariff policy on April 9, capping a chaotic week of mounting economic concern and internal Republican dissent. Just days after announcing sweeping new tariffs on friend

India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, D.C. — Kash Patel has been removed from his role as acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and replaced by U.S. Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll, officials confirmed on April 9. The Justice Department

Photo: @WhiteHouse India-West Staff Reporter CHICAGO, IL — As the Trump administration presses forward with its policy agenda, a new poll conducted by AAPI Data and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research reveals widespread disapproval among Asian American and Pacific

India-West Staff Reporter WASHINGTON, DC — Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA) is leading a renewed push in Congress to challenge corporate consolidation and fight for the economic rights of working Americans. Jayapal and fellow lawmakers officially launched the Monopoly Busters Caucus, a coalition

India-West Staff Reporter SACRAMENTO, CA - The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) has expressed disappointment after the California Senate’s Standing Committee on Governmental Organization voted to advance SB509. The bill, introduced by Senator Anna Caballero, aims to create a training