An Indian-origin man based in the United States, Rohit Joy, sparked outrage on social media after calling for the complete termination of the H-1B visa program and urging that all current H-1B visa holders be sent back to their home countries. Joy made the controversial statement on X (formerly Twitter) in response to a post by Congressman Dr. Rich McCormick advocating for domestic visa renewals for H-1B holders.
McCormick had expressed support for a bipartisan initiative to allow low-risk visa holders, including those on H-1B visas, to renew their visas within the US—a move aimed at reducing costs and delays associated with international travel for renewals. Currently, visa holders must return to their home countries to complete the renewal process, which can take several months.
In his reply to McCormick’s post, Joy wrote:
“Nope. All H-1B visas should expire, the program should be ended, and visa holders should be sent back to their home countries. It has nothing to do with keeping America competitive. Our major national competitors don’t bring in large numbers of foreign workers.”
His comment immediately drew sharp criticism, primarily from Indians and members of the diaspora. Many users questioned Joy’s stance, pointing to the vital role H-1B workers play in sectors like technology and healthcare. Some even suggested that Joy himself was being hypocritical, given his Indian origin.
One user sarcastically wrote, “Thanks, Rohit, we will welcome you to Kozhikode with open arms.” To this, Joy replied, “I won’t be going anywhere. I’m a US citizen.”
Another user mocked him in Hindi, suggesting he should change his name if he opposes Indians so strongly:
“Bhai naam change kar le… Unko Indians nahi pasand hai. Sab ko bhejne ke baad, teri baari aani hai.”
To which Joy responded, “I don’t know what any of that means. If you want me to read your reply, write it in English.”
When a user pointed out that even Qatar employs large numbers of foreign workers, Joy dismissed the comparison, saying, “Qatar isn’t a major national competitor of ours. How exactly do they compete with us?”
The debate comes at a time when US lawmakers, including Indian-origin representatives like Ro Khanna, are pushing to streamline the H-1B visa process. India remains the largest source of H-1B professionals, particularly in the tech industry, and any policy shifts on the program draw widespread attention both in the US and abroad.
