President Donald Trump's sudden imposition of steep H-1B visa fees has unleashed chaos, forcing workers from India, China, and beyond to abruptly cancel travel plans and race back to the United States. The proclamation, part of Trump's broader immigration crackdown, initially sowed confusion, with tech giants and banks issuing urgent memos advising employees to return before the Sunday 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time deadline or risk being barred from re-entry.
A White House clarification on Saturday eased some fears, stating the new fees apply only to new H-1B applicants, not existing visa holders or renewals. However, the damage was done. At San Francisco airport, Indian engineers recounted cutting short family vacations. One, whose wife was on an Emirates flight to Dubai, described her flight’s delay as passengers, alerted to the order, demanded to deplane. "We had to choose between family and our life here," he said, noting his wife continued to India to care for her ailing mother.
On Chinese social media platform Rednote, H-1B holders shared stories of frantic returns, some likening the panic to the COVID-19 travel bans. A New York-based woman, “Emily’s Life in NY,” abandoned a Paris trip after her United Airlines flight began taxiing, convincing the captain to return to the gate. “I felt insignificant and shaken,” she told Reuters, canceling plans with friends flying from China.
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Major firms like Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, and Goldman Sachs sent urgent travel advisories to employees. The policy shift marks a reversal for Trump, who previously supported the H-1B program after aligning with Tesla’s Elon Musk. Critics argue the visa suppresses wages, while supporters say it fills critical talent gaps in tech.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick initially suggested a $100,000 annual fee per H-1B worker, but White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt clarified it as a one-time fee per petition. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem may exempt certain petitioners, per the proclamation.
Social media buzzed with frustration. One Rednote user, calling themselves an “H-1B slave,” described a rushed return from Tokyo as a “real-life ‘Fast & Furious’ race to the US.” At San Francisco airport, an Nvidia engineer of 10 years, vacationing in Japan with his family, scrambled to rebook flights. “It feels surreal,” he said. “Everything changed in an instant.”
The move has reignited debates over America’s appeal as a global tech hub, with many questioning the future of skilled immigration under Trump’s protectionist agenda.
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