Tensions Flare At Frisco City Council; Right-Wing Targets Indian American Community

Photo: YouTube screenshot

India-West News Desk

DALLAS, TX – A packed hall of Indian Americans, right-wing agitators, many of whom had traveled from outside the city, filled the Frisco City Council chambers on February 3, and turned the meeting into a tense and emotional confrontation.

According to reports by the Dallas Observer and The Dallas Morning News, the meeting devolved into a verbal clash over immigration.

Several of the critics wore America First hats, Punisher symbol masks, and other right-wing insignia, the two papers reported.

The Dallas Observer reported that many of the agitators were not Frisco residents but had come from across North Texas after conservative social media influencers Kaylee Campbell and Marc Palasciano urged followers to attend the meeting and speak out against what they described as a “massive Indian takeover” of the city.

According to the Dallas Observer, the speakers alleged that H 1B visa fraud was driving demographic change in Frisco. Dylan Law, a University of North Texas student from Frisco, was quoted as saying, “Frisco is changing at a speed that no community can absorb without damage. When lifelong residents voice concern, we are told our concern is bigotry. That is a lie.” He added that “parents are watching their children become foreigners in classrooms that their tax dollars paid for.”

City data does show a sharp rise in the Indian origin population. A Frisco government survey cited by both newspapers found that Indians and other Asians now make up about 33 percent of the city’s population, up from 10 percent in 2010. Critics linked this growth to the H 1B visa program, noting that about 75 percent of H 1B visas are issued to Indian professionals, according to federal data.

The issue has gained traction in Texas following Governor Greg Abbott’s order freezing state hiring of H 1B workers.

Despite the fact that the Frisco City Council has no authority over federal visa policy, critics accused city leaders of enabling what they described as fraud.

Marc Palasciano, described by The Dallas Morning News as an H 1B critic and by the Dallas Observer as a “self proclaimed whistleblower,” told the council, “It’s not a coincidence that Frisco’s Indian population exploded and there’s visa fraud here.” He added, “Frisco needs to wake up. Soon your entire City Council could be Indian.”

Indian American residents of Frisco pushed back strongly, emphasizing that they were citizens, taxpayers, and contributors to the city’s growth. The Dallas Morning News reported that Shanthan Toodi, a US Army veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, said that while visa fraud should be addressed, framing the issue as an “Indian takeover” was wrong.

Another Frisco resident, Muni Janagarajan, told The Dallas Morning News that Indian families strengthen the city. “When we buy homes, we are not just buying the real estate,” he said. “We are funding the world class parks and Frisco ISD, one of the top-rated school districts in Texas, that benefits every child in the city.”

Amit Radjadhyaksha, a longtime resident, told the Dallas Observer, “I’m Indian, I’m American. I’m a proud citizen of Frisco, and I’m not going anywhere.”

Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney also voiced support for the city’s diversity. According to The Dallas Morning News, Cheney said he was proud of Frisco’s celebration of cultural festivals such as Holi. “Other than a handful of native Frisconians, every one of us is from somewhere else,” he said. “When you choose to call Frisco home, it will always be our mission that you feel welcome here and that you feel safe here.”