A number one Indian American coverage group has urged the Trump administration to undertake a extra calibrated method to expanded social media vetting for H-1B and H-4 visa candidates, warning that widespread cancellations and delays in visa appointments are disrupting the US business and stranding 1000’s of high-skilled employees overseas.
In a letter addressed to President Donald J. Trump, the Basis for India and Indian Diaspora Research (FIIDS) mentioned it strongly helps the US Division of State’s choice to broaden on-line presence and social media vetting to all H-1B and H-4 candidates.
The brand new coverage turned efficient on December 15. FIIDS described it as “an important step in enhancing nationwide safety by thorough evaluations of candidates’ digital footprints to establish potential dangers.”
On the identical time, FIIDS cautioned that the implementation of the brand new measures has led to “widespread cancellations and rescheduling of visa appointments—pushing many from December 2025 into March 2026 or later,” inflicting “important disruptions for important employees and US business.”
The group mentioned 1000’s of H-1B holders are at the moment stranded overseas after vacation journey or visa renewals because of consular cancellations, with the influence falling closely on Indian nationals.
In its letter, FIIDS famous that Indian professionals account for “70–75% of approvals,” making them notably susceptible to the sudden appointment bottlenecks.
In line with the letter, main expertise corporations have already begun to really feel the consequences.
“Tech leaders, together with Google, Apple, and Microsoft, have issued advisories warning staff in opposition to worldwide journey, citing unpredictable delays that would indefinitely halt contributions to important tasks,” FIIDS mentioned.
The group warned that extended disruptions threaten ongoing work in “AI, knowledge platforms, engineering, and different high-impact fields,” with broader implications for US “financial competitiveness, innovation management, and international benefit.”
FIIDS emphasised that its considerations will not be aimed toward rolling again enhanced scrutiny however at stopping avoidable disruption.
It urged the administration to “protect current scheduled appointments with out blanket cancellations,” proposing as a substitute that authorities prioritize pre-interview vetting for candidates who already maintain confirmed slots.
The group additionally beneficial putting clear limits on extra processing delays.
“We additional counsel capping any post-interview administrative processing at one month to alleviate hardships,” the letter mentioned, arguing that such a measure would permit vetted professionals to return promptly to america with out compromising safety targets.
FIIDS framed its proposal as per the administration’s broader coverage targets. The urged method, it mentioned, “aligns along with your Administration’s targets of strong immigration enforcement alongside a powerful, innovation-driven economic system fueled by expert professionals.”
The H-1B visa program permits US employers to rent overseas employees in specialty occupations. It has lengthy been a key pathway for Indian professionals in expertise, engineering, healthcare, and analysis to work in america.
Over time, India has emerged as the one largest supply nation for H-1B beneficiaries, reflecting the depth of U.S.–India ties in high-skilled labor and innovation.