The US Department of State has issued a memo which said anyone involved in ‘censorship’ of free speech should be considered for rejection. In its cable, dated December 2, the department also directed its missions to review the resumes and scan the LinkedIn profiles of those applying for H-1B visas.
In what could be a massive setback for Indian nationals looking for jobs in the United States (US), the Trump administration has ordered for “increased vetting of applicants” for H-1B visas. The development comes days after President Donald Trump increased the H-1B visa fees to USD 100,000, triggering panic among Indian nationals working in US tech companies.ย
According to a report by Reuters, the US Department of State has also issued a memo which said anyone involved in ‘censorship’ of free speech should be considered for rejection. In its cable, dated December 2, the department has also directed its missions to review the resumes and scan the LinkedIn profiles of those applying for H-1B visas.ย
It also said that the missions should thoroughly check whether the applicants were involved in activities such as “misinformation, disinformation, content moderation, fact-checking, compliance and online safety”.ย
“If you uncover evidence an applicant was responsible for, or complicit in, censorship or attempted censorship of protected expression in the United States, you should pursue a finding that the applicant is ineligible,” the cable said, as reported by Reuters. “You must thoroughly explore their employment histories to ensure no participation in such activities.”
A US State Department spokesperson said the new instructions apply to both new and old applicants, adding that the Trump administration does not want “aliens coming to the United States to work as censors muzzling Americans”.
“In the past, the President himself was the victim of this kind of abuse when social media companies locked his accounts. He does not want other Americans to suffer this way. Allowing foreigners to lead this type of censorship would both insult and injure the American people,” the spokesperson told Reuters.
Many US firms enjoy the benefits of H-1B visa by hiring Indian and Chinese nationals. The Trump administration’s move against H-1B visa applicants has drawn criticism, though. India has also criticised the move, with External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr S Jaishankar saying the US will only be doing harm to its own interests.ย
“If there are concerns, let us say, in the United States or in Europe, it is because they very consciously and deliberately, over the last two decades, allowed their businesses to relocate. It was their choice and strategy,” said Jaishankar on Wednesday at the World Annual Conclave 2025 in New Delhi.
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