H-1B Row Puts Indian American Republican Candidates In A Political Bind

WASHINGTON, DC-At least nine Indian American Republicans are on the November 3 ballot, led by Vivek Ramaswamy in the Ohio governor’s race, even as leaders of their own party turn against the H-1B visa program, a pathway long used by Indian professionals.

On October 8, Vice President JD Vance said most H-1B visa holders were being used to replace American workers.

“Unfortunately, what we see with most H-1Bs is that you’re taking somebody, I’m sure in most cases, a decent human being, and they’re using them to replace an American middle class worker,” Vance told reporters.

“We want a lot of other people to come into the United States of America if they have truly elite specialized skills,” he added.

The Trump administration has also imposed a $100,000 fee on certain H-1B petitions, a measure that has since been blocked by a second federal judge, and suspended the employment green card route for eight technology firms.

In New York, Trump-endorsed Saritha Komatireddy is challenging Democratic Attorney General Letitia James, who led her 52 per cent to 39 per cent in a Siena poll conducted September 11-17.

“I worked for the DEA administrator while Joe Biden was president… I was nominated to be a federal judge by President Trump,” Komatireddy told NY1 in August.

The Republican Party has three Indian American House nominees, all facing difficult contests in strongly Democratic districts: Ritesh Tandon against Ro Khanna in California’s 17th Congressional District, Nirav Sheth against Pramila Jayapal in Washington’s 7th District, and Mahesh “Max” Ganorkar against Valerie Foushee in North Carolina’s 4th District.

Sheth, who was born and raised in India, came to the US in 2008 as an engineering student and later served in the Marine Corps.

“As an immigrant, I know that legal immigration not only ensures a successful integration into our great nation but also upholds the values of fairness, opportunity, and diversity that make the US a beacon of hope for those seeking a better life,” Sheth says on his campaign website.

At the state level, New York Assemblyman Anil Beephan Jr. and Tennessee state Representative Sabi “Doc” Kumar are seeking re-election. Former Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) scientist Vinaya Singh is challenging a Democratic incumbent in the California Assembly, while Ashok Baddi is running for the Michigan House.

The political pressure has been particularly sharp in Texas, the Texas Tribune reported. Governor Greg Abbott froze new H-1B petitions at state agencies and universities in January, while Congressman Brandon Gill called for a freeze on all legal immigration.

Abbott’s spokesman Andrew Mahaleris said the state “cannot allow a program intended only to supplement the American workforce to be exploited to displace qualified US workers or suppress wages.”

Texas attorney general candidate Aaron Reitz spoke of an “invasion of un-assimilated and un-assimilable Indians.”

Indian American candidates also faced setbacks in Frisco’s spring city council and school board elections, where all lost, including Republican Sreekanth Reddy.

“I think a lot of the people who voted for Trump wouldn’t now. It’s been disappointing,” Reddy told the Texas Tribune.

“We’ve talked about this with the Republican Party, saying, don’t alienate us…,” said Vijay Karthik, another Frisco Republican.

Ramaswamy has also faced online attacks. Far-right commentator Nick Fuentes called him an “anchor baby who got your birthright citizenship from your H-1B parents,” according to the Texas Tribune.

The political climate comes as Indian-American voters express concerns about restrictions on legal immigration. In an AAPI Data survey in February, 68 per cent said President Donald Trump had gone too far in restricting legal immigration. An AAPI Vote/AAPI Data survey this summer found that 74 per cent viewed Trump unfavorably.

The first two Indian-American governors, Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Nikki Haley of South Carolina, were Republicans. All six current Indian-American members of the US House are Democrats. (IANS)