How visa debate for foreign workers fuels racism against South Asians

A dispute over the impact of H-1B visas on US workers has been overshadowed by racist rhetoric, with troubling echoes of the great replacement conspiracy theory. In Frisco, one-third of the population is of Asian heritage

- Amy Qin

The floor was open at a regular City Council meeting in Frisco, Texas, and several speakers, riled by a recent viral video over visas for specialized foreign workers, wanted to make their views known. They did not mince words about the programme.

The visa, called H-1B, had led to an "Indian takeover" of their city. The program, some said without citing proof, was full of "fraudsters" and "low-quality scammers."

A few people claimed an even broader racist conspiracy theory, accusing Western elites and corporations of seeking to replace and disempower white Americans.

"We must maintain our Rhodesia," said someone identifying himself as a college student, referring to the former white-ruled colony that later became Zimbabwe.

During the nearly two-hour open floor this month, some opponents of the visas spoke about more typical concerns like job losses and suppressed wages, while South Asian residents expressed their fears over the rhetoric. And the leaders of Frisco, a rapidly growing suburb north of Dallas, emphasized the value and contributions of its population, one-third of whom are of Asian heritage.

In a statement, Jeff Cheney, the Frisco mayor, described many of the speakers as "outside agitators" who did not represent the majority of residents.

But the meeting displayed how the anger over the visa program has helped ignite racist rhetoric targeting the Indian community not only in Frisco but also across the country.

Created in 1990, the H-1B program allows up to 85,000 foreign workers to fill specialized roles in the United States every year. In 2023, around three-quarters of the 400,000 or so approved H-1B applications were for workers from India, according to Pew Research Centre. That same year, Dallas-Fort Worth ranked fourth among metropolitan areas for approved H-1B applications. Many of these visa holders work as software programmers and computer engineers.