Nirav Sheth, Challenging Jayapal, Backs Microsoft Suspension
SEATTLE, WA- Nirav Sheth, the Ahmedabad-born Republican challenging Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal in Washington’s 7th Congressional District, has backed the suspension of Microsoft’s green card sponsorship while calling for a separate green card quota for highly skilled technology workers employed directly by major companies.
Sheth supports President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance’s decision to suspend Microsoft’s green card sponsorship, despite the presence of thousands of Indian-origin technology workers at the company in his district. He said third-party recruiting agencies were “abusing the immigration system”, leaving some workers with professional certifications waiting “10 to 15 years” for green cards while others exploited “loopholes” to obtain them faster.
“The immigration fraud is the major concern right now,” he said, describing the current policies as “a tip of the iceberg”.
Sheth declined to comment on whether companies such as Microsoft, Adobe or Infosys were involved in fraud. “It’s an ongoing investigation. I will not give a statement which gonna scrutinize either policy itself or the company,” he said.
At the same time, Sheth said the green card backlog affecting Indian technology professionals required “a complete overhaul.” He said lifting the per-country cap could be a viable option.
“We must not punish the hardworking legal professionals who play by every rule,” he said, adding that per-country backlogs leave skilled workers and their families “in a legal limbo right here. It’s not fair.”
If elected, Sheth said he would push for direct coordination between the Department of Homeland Security and employers instead of relying on third-party recruiters.
Sheth acknowledged that defeating Jayapal would be difficult. After receiving 10.6 per cent of the vote in the August primary, he said his immediate goal was to increase his share to about 20 per cent.
“Probably 20%. I know I’m not gonna win, I know that,” he said, adding that he intended to continue his campaign and contest again in two years. Describing the race as a David-versus-Goliath contest, he said, “Oh, she’s Goliath. I mean, I’m the David.”
Jayapal, who was born in Chennai, won about 84 per cent of the primary vote.
Sheth stopped short of joining some Indian Americans who have accused the Democratic congresswoman of being anti-India. “I will not say she’s anti-Indian… She’s anti-American, and I can confirm that,” he said.
He claimed community leaders had not pointed to any significant work Jayapal had done for Indian Americans. “When it comes to the Indian community, I haven’t seen anything or I haven’t heard anything from her,” he said, adding that the only issue he recalled was her post on X about the H-1B crackdown on Microsoft.
Sheth also claimed that Indian American voters were shifting towards Republicans, citing conversations with Punjabi and Gujarati residents in Kent, Washington.
“I’ve talked to so many Indian voters, especially in Kent,” he said. “I think they’re gonna move with the… Republican voting.”
He accused Jayapal of focusing on Trump and national political issues at the expense of local concerns, including homelessness, drug overdose deaths, crime and struggling small businesses in Seattle. Sheth said he closed his Italian restaurant last year because of “the… break-ins and other stuff”.
He also criticized Washington state’s Climate Commitment Act, claiming it adds “a $1.27 extra tax the state charges on each gallon of gas”.
Sheth studied in Orlando and at the University of Massachusetts before joining the US Marine Corps in 2011. “This is how I got my citizenship,” he said. He later served as a police officer in Washington state but resigned because of hearing loss in one ear. He now owns five businesses, including auto repair centers and a credit card processing firm. (IANS)
