Trump’s ally calls for H-1B visa curbs after action on Indian travel agencies linked to illegal immigration

Laura Loomer, a political ally of Donald Trump, called for restrictions on the H-1B program after the United States imposed visa restrictions on Indian travel agencies accused of facilitating illegal migration. Following this move, criticism has again mounted against the H-1B visa program, which allows US employers to hire skilled foreign workers.

She said US jobs should not go to immigrants and urged the administration to tighten immigration further. In a post, on X, she stated, “ Let’s go. Now do the H1B visas. Thank you for your attention to this very important matter!”

The H-1B program has drawn renewed attention after the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that 120,141 H-1B applications were selected for fiscal year 2026. This figure marks the lowest selection count since 2021. The decline follows an increase in registration fees, but some MAGA activists and US tech workers continue to call for the program’s reduction or termination. They argue that the visa scheme contradicts Trump’s “America First” policy.


A US Department of State notification said, “We are working closely with our consular teams in India to identify and take action against individuals involved in promoting unauthorized migration to the United States.”

In April, the US Embassy in India had cancelled 2,000 visa appointments over fraud concerns. The current restrictions build on that investigation, targeting owners, executives, and senior officials of travel agencies linked to illegal migration.

Some activists welcomed the action and demanded similar scrutiny of employment-based visa programs. They argue that companies may already be planning to replace existing employees with H-1B workers, despite limited new job creation.

The H-1B program permits up to 65,000 new visas each year, with an additional 20,000 for applicants holding advanced degrees from US institutions. The announcement that over 120,000 applications have been accepted this early has raised concerns about the impact on domestic employment.

(With inputs from TOI)