KQED's Forum Trump Dropped A $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Sent Silicon Valley Spinning
5 snips
Sep 24, 2025 Pranav Dixit, a Business Insider reporter focusing on tech and immigration, discusses the chaos following Trump's hefty new H-1B visa fee. Tanay Gokhale, a journalist covering the Bay Area Indian community, highlights the panic felt by immigrant communities and the long-term uncertainties faced. Immigration attorney Emily Neumann offers legal insights into the implications of the fee, potential exemptions, and the likelihood of litigation. Together, they explore how the tech industry's hiring landscape might change amidst this upheaval.
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Confusing Rollout Sparked Panic
- The proclamation's wording created immediate confusion and panic across companies and visa holders.
- Clarifications later limited scope but only after many travelers scrambled and HR teams issued urgent memos.
Flight Held As Workers Scrambled
- Employees deboarded international flights after seeing the announcement and company memos.
- One reported Emirates flight sat on the tarmac while passengers debated whether to disembark.
Clarifications Came In Pieces
- Conflicting clarifications from agencies and social media increased uncertainty instead of resolving it.
- Employers and attorneys spent the weekend parsing fact sheets and tweets to advise staff.
