The H-1B visa debate resurfaced this week after US commentator and pollster Mark Mitchell called for major American companies to “de-Indianise” themselves. His remark triggered sharp reactions across social media. He also announced that he plans to launch a consultancy to guide firms through this process. His post on X quickly intensified the online debate about the role of Indian professionals in the US tech sector.

“I have never in my life wanted anything more than this: to build a new corporate consultancy helping major firms de-Indianise,” Mitchell wrote.

His claim followed earlier criticism he made during a podcast, where he questioned the growing presence of Indian workers in the United States under the H-1B programme.

Mitchell attacks the H-1B system

While speaking on ‘The War Room’ podcast with Stephen Bannon, Mitchell argued that Indian professionals dominate the H-1B system. He further claimed that removing a senior H-1B worker from a top tech company was economically comparable to deporting multiple illegal migrants.

“But for every single H-1B, you know, senior developer at Apple that we send back, that’s the equivalent economically, probably, of deporting ten illegal aliens. So, I do not know why we did not do that yesterday. And the idea, yes, a lot of these people are entry level, but a lot of them are making a tonne of money,” he said in the December 8 episode.

Mitchell also alleged that 12 million American tech workers had lost jobs because Silicon Valley had been “indificated” by a “foreign-born workforce.”

“Silicon Valley’s got some of the highest real estate in the entire country. Well, its workforce is roughly two-thirds foreign born. Walmart buildings that were like 85–95 per cent Indian nationals, and so they come in on these golden pathways and they take these jobs,” he added.

Claims about the tech job market

He accused major US tech firms of relying heavily on low-cost immigrant labour. According to him, this practice allows companies to bypass American workers. He also argued that experienced American engineers are being sidelined because companies prefer a “bottomless well of younger third-world engineers”.

“You know, people like me who have a family, who are a little more expensive, maybe have got a few raises. My health insurance is a little more expensive. Really easy to replace me and have me train my replacement,” he said.

He compared wages and added, “A single H-1B developer earning 90,000 dollars is like importing ten undocumented labourers earning nine dollars an hour.”

These remarks surfaced soon after a report showed that 66 per cent of the US tech workforce is foreign born—23 per cent Indians and 18 per cent Chinese.

Online backlash intensifies

Mitchell’s “de-Indianise” comment led to strong backlash. Many users accused him of promoting racism and targeting a specific minority.

One user wrote, “If you said you wanted to make major American firms de-Jew you would not have a career left. However, in the American conservative world it is OK to be openly racist towards a model minority.”

Another user said, “Note that this nut has moved from H-1Bs all the way to ‘Indians’, meaning even US-born, second-generation Indian-Americans are people he wants to disenfranchise.”

A third user commented, “Imagine saying this about ANY other ethnic group. Gee, maybe this is why your employability is limited.”