Far-right trolls target Indian H-1B holders racing back to US

As Indian professionals tried to return to the United States after President Donald Trump announced a $100,000 fee tied to the H-1B visa category, far-right trolls launched an online campaign urging supporters to disrupt flight bookings from India. AFP reported that the effort, coordinated on forums such as 4chan and shared across fringe platforms, encouraged users to begin ticket purchases and abandon them to clog reservation systems. One engineer described scrambling to rebook at significantly higher cost amid website crashes and shorter checkout windows. The White House later clarified the new fee was a one-time charge that would not apply to current H-1B holders, but many firms had already asked staff abroad to return swiftly as a precaution. Experts quoted in the report said the campaign’s overall impact was hard to quantify but illustrated how extremists attempt to sow panic and target migrant workers online. They warned that such tactics, enabled by loosely connected groups, can rapidly spread and disrupt essential services. The article also explained that H-1B visas allow US employers to hire specialised foreign workers on a limited, renewable basis, with Indians comprising the majority of recipients.