We are like that only: The diaspora’s silence on H1-B

Dr Ajit Bhagwat

Many in India, including prominent personalities like Shashi Tharoor, seem to be disappointed with the Indian diaspora-especially the wealthy and influential section-for not raising their voice against Donald Trump’s anti-immigration policies. But let me pose a counter-question: do we, as Indians living in the US, have any moral authority to expect this support from the established diaspora? Let’s examine a few harsh realities:

1. Our own hypocrisy at home

Mumbai has seen countless ‘rags to riches’ immigrant success stories, particularly in Bollywood and business. Yet how many of these powerful figures have ever spoken up for migrants from UP or Bihar who face discrimination and struggle for dignity? Very few. If we don’t defend migrants in our own backyard, can we really expect others to do it for us abroad? As one editor of a newspaper aptly put it, in the eyes of Trump and his supporters, the H1-B population are the American counterparts of Mumbai’s ‘Bhaiyyas’ or even ‘termites.’

2. Selective outrage

When Trump imposed restrictions on Muslim-majority countries in his first term, many Indians openly celebrated, seeing it as an affirmation of their own anti-Muslim sentiments. “Ab ki baar Trump sarkar,” trended among them. That was schadenfreude at its best. Now that Trump’s policies target H1-B visa holders, the same crowd is indignant.

3. Conflict of interest

Tharoor rightly points out that the children of wealthy Indian Americans now face direct competition from H1-B candidates for jobs. Why would they lobby for a cause that undermines their own interests?

4. The credibility problem

Trump administration brands H1-B a scam.’ While that may sound like an exaggeration, there is some truth to it. Journalist Tanul Thakur, in his upcoming book Wild Wild East: Exiled Americans, Enslaved Indians, and the Systemic Abuse of the H1-B Programme, highlights startling facts. In a recent interview with G Sampath (The Hindu), he revealed that as much as 20% of H1-B entries are fraudulent, with fake CVs and sham interviews. Many of these hires end up doing low-skilled cut-paste IT jobs at exploitative wages. It is hard to rally moral support for a programme tainted by such malpractice.

5. The ‘dog-eat-dog’ culture

Indians come from a hyper-competitive, resource-starved environment where stepping on others’ toes is often seen as necessary for survival. This fosters an inherently self-preserving mindset. Even today, many long-term H1-B holders console themselves that Trump’s restrictive policies will reduce future competition in the green card queue.

Taken together, these points explain why the diaspora’s response to the H1-B crisis appears hypocritical, self-serving, and indifferent. As Rama Bijapurkar famously said: “We are like that only.”

The writer is Director, Cardiac Cath Lab and Interventional Cardiology

Kamalnayan Bajaj Hospital, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.