Asserting that H-1B visa holders drive innovation and help build and strengthen the American economy, top US lawmakers on Wednesday hailed the Trump administration’s decision that it was not considering any proposal which would force such people to leave the country.
“The Trump administration’s decision to back off this counterproductive proposal is a positive step forward,” said US Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, Democratic Co-Chair of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans. Her statement came a day after the US Citizenship and Immigration Services said it was not considering any proposal that would force H-1B visa holders to head back towards their respective countries.
The announcement followed reports that the Trump administration was considering tightening H-1B visa rules that could lead to the deportation of 7,50,000 Indians. “While it remains a priority to invest in training and creating a pipeline of skilled American workers, we must continue to leverage the talent and expertise of the hundreds of thousands of H-1B visa holders, to fill the gaps in our domestic workforce,” she said.