'Take the oxygen out': H-1B fee is no policy just Trump’s India tactic, says US investor
In a pointed critique, the ARK Invest CEO said the sudden $100,000 H-1B fee hike isn’t about immigration—it’s about pressure. “The H-1B visa fee hike is part of Trump’s ‘negotiation’ with India. India will be most impacted by this,” she said in a TV interaction, comparing the move to trade tariffs designed to force leverage in diplomacy.
- Sep 23, 2025,
- Updated Sep 23, 2025 8:02 AM IST
Cathie Wood has slammed Donald Trump’s H-1B visa fee hike as a blunt-force tactic aimed squarely at India, calling it “a bit like tariffs” and warning that it will “take the oxygen out of the room” in U.S.-India negotiations.
In a pointed critique, the ARK Invest CEO said the sudden $100,000 H-1B fee hike isn’t about immigration—it’s about pressure. “The H-1B visa fee hike is part of Trump’s ‘negotiation’ with India. India will be most impacted by this,” she said in a TV interaction, comparing the move to trade tariffs designed to force leverage in diplomacy.
Wood, known for her bullish bets on disruptive innovation, argued that this strategy risks backfiring. “Trump didn’t learn any lesson. He thinks he can use stick to negotiate with Modi and India. He is mistaken once again,” she said.
The new H-1B fee, set to apply to all new visa petitions from September 21, has drawn immediate backlash from tech firms and immigration advocates. Indian nationals account for more than 70% of H-1B visas, making the country the hardest hit.
“This is going to capture all the headlines,” Wood predicted, describing the move as a deliberate attempt to seize narrative control and apply pressure on India’s leadership. Her comment—“take the oxygen out of the room”—captures the broader impact: confusion, panic, and a freezing effect across Indian tech and global talent flows.
India’s IT sector, long reliant on H-1B workers for overseas contracts, is expected to face increased operational costs and talent deployment challenges. Indian officials and analysts echoed Wood’s view, warning of humanitarian and economic fallout.
Cathie Wood has slammed Donald Trump’s H-1B visa fee hike as a blunt-force tactic aimed squarely at India, calling it “a bit like tariffs” and warning that it will “take the oxygen out of the room” in U.S.-India negotiations.
In a pointed critique, the ARK Invest CEO said the sudden $100,000 H-1B fee hike isn’t about immigration—it’s about pressure. “The H-1B visa fee hike is part of Trump’s ‘negotiation’ with India. India will be most impacted by this,” she said in a TV interaction, comparing the move to trade tariffs designed to force leverage in diplomacy.
Wood, known for her bullish bets on disruptive innovation, argued that this strategy risks backfiring. “Trump didn’t learn any lesson. He thinks he can use stick to negotiate with Modi and India. He is mistaken once again,” she said.
The new H-1B fee, set to apply to all new visa petitions from September 21, has drawn immediate backlash from tech firms and immigration advocates. Indian nationals account for more than 70% of H-1B visas, making the country the hardest hit.
“This is going to capture all the headlines,” Wood predicted, describing the move as a deliberate attempt to seize narrative control and apply pressure on India’s leadership. Her comment—“take the oxygen out of the room”—captures the broader impact: confusion, panic, and a freezing effect across Indian tech and global talent flows.
India’s IT sector, long reliant on H-1B workers for overseas contracts, is expected to face increased operational costs and talent deployment challenges. Indian officials and analysts echoed Wood’s view, warning of humanitarian and economic fallout.