US tech workers on edge amid stricter immigration rules under Trump administration
US tech workers on edge amid stricter immigration rules under Trump administration
Fear and uncertainty are rising among foreign tech workers in the United States as the Trump administration tightens its immigration policies. Major tech companies like Amazon, Google, Apple, Microsoft, and others are now urging employees on work visas to avoid international travel due to concerns about potential issues with re-entry.
A recent Washington Post report highlighted that law firms have issued warnings about a possible rise in visa rejections, including those for high-skilled workers on H-1B visas and applicants for Green Cards. “There’s a lot of worry and panic right now,” said Malcolm Goeschl, principal attorney at Goeschl Law in San Francisco. “The administration seems to be gaining momentum, and no one knows what might come next.”
🚨SILICON VALLEY'S BIGGEST LIMITATION: ENGINEERING TALENT SHORTAGE
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The U.S. semiconductor industry alone needs over 160,000 engineers by 2032, driven by $250B+ in new investments.
Demand for AI experts has skyrocketed, with Elon calling the talent war the "craziest" ever.… https://t.co/pssGHDCHWj pic.twitter.com/lsaaU71Oja
The publication spoke with two tech workers who had cancelled their planned trips to India, fearing they may be denied entry back into the US. “There’s this assumption that anyone who isn’t a US citizen might be here illegally,” said one worker. Another added, “We always carry our documents now, even just walking around.”
This tension comes at a time when voices in the tech industry are calling for more skilled workers. Elon Musk, for instance, weighed in last December on X (formerly Twitter), responding to a post about the talent shortage. “We need more — like double that number — yesterday!” he posted. “There just aren’t enough highly skilled, motivated engineers in the US. It’s like building a championship sports team — you need the best talent from everywhere to win.”
Immigration policy remains a divisive issue among Trump supporters, with tech leaders pushing for more skilled immigration, while others advocate for tighter restrictions. The rift became public in December, sparking a heated debate on X about the future of H-1B visas under a potential second Trump term.
Meanwhile, according to recent data from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Amazon secured the most H-1B visa approvals in 2025, with 9,265 approvals. Cognizant and Google followed with 6,321 and 5,364 respectively. Other major players like Tesla, Meta, Apple, Microsoft, and IBM also featured prominently.
Earlier this month, USCIS announced that the H-1B visa cap of 85,000 for the 2026 fiscal year has already been reached. “We have randomly selected enough beneficiaries with properly submitted registrations projected as needed to reach the H-1B cap,” the agency said in a statement.
