'Not targeting India': US Ambassador Sergio Gor defends H-1B visa delays as border security priority
Speaking at the India Today Conclave 2026, Gor addressed the anxieties of thousands of Indian professionals stuck in visa backlogs
- Mar 13, 2026,
- Updated Mar 13, 2026 12:30 PM IST
US Ambassador Sergio Gor signalled that while the United States remains committed to welcoming global talent, the current era of heightened border security and intense vetting is a non-negotiable global standard. Speaking at the India Today Conclave 2026, Gor addressed the anxieties of thousands of Indian professionals stuck in visa backlogs, framing the delays as a matter of national safety rather than a policy aimed at any single nation.
"Not Specific to India"
Responding to concerns about H-1B and H-4 visa delays, Ambassador Gor emphasised that President Trump’s mandate on border security has necessitated a comprehensive reassessment of who is allowed to enter the country.
"Talent has been welcome to America for decades. I don't think that's changing anytime soon," Gor said. "In terms of the visa backlog, this is not just something that is an issue here in India. Um, so it's not as if India's being targeted."
Gor compared the US administration's stance to India's own focus on territorial integrity.
"President Trump... came in on a very strong mandate on securing the border. And it's something your Prime Minister here quite often talks about is that India also must have a secure and strong border," he noted. "For us, we had millions of individuals coming across our southern border... we need to know who's coming into our country, and we have a criteria of who's allowed."
The WISA Bill: A counter-push for talent
As the Ambassador defended the administration's vetting processes, a new legislative effort is gaining traction in Washington to ease the financial and regulatory burden on foreign professionals. The Welcoming International Success Act (WISA), introduced by Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, seeks to dismantle the restrictive H-1B framework established in September 2025.
The 2025 rules imposed a staggering $100,000 filing fee on companies and introduced a wage-weighted lottery system that critics say penalises essential sectors like healthcare and research. The WISA bill aims to:
- Cancel the September 2025 immigration proclamation.
- Reduce or eliminate the steep $100,000 employer filing fee.
- Relax wage requirements that have made hiring international talent prohibitively expensive.
The outcome of this legislative tug-of-war is critical for India, which accounts for 70-75% of all H-1B visas issued annually. There are currently an estimated 7.3 lakh Indian H-1B holders in the US, supported by 5.5 lakh dependents.
US Ambassador Sergio Gor signalled that while the United States remains committed to welcoming global talent, the current era of heightened border security and intense vetting is a non-negotiable global standard. Speaking at the India Today Conclave 2026, Gor addressed the anxieties of thousands of Indian professionals stuck in visa backlogs, framing the delays as a matter of national safety rather than a policy aimed at any single nation.
"Not Specific to India"
Responding to concerns about H-1B and H-4 visa delays, Ambassador Gor emphasised that President Trump’s mandate on border security has necessitated a comprehensive reassessment of who is allowed to enter the country.
"Talent has been welcome to America for decades. I don't think that's changing anytime soon," Gor said. "In terms of the visa backlog, this is not just something that is an issue here in India. Um, so it's not as if India's being targeted."
Gor compared the US administration's stance to India's own focus on territorial integrity.
"President Trump... came in on a very strong mandate on securing the border. And it's something your Prime Minister here quite often talks about is that India also must have a secure and strong border," he noted. "For us, we had millions of individuals coming across our southern border... we need to know who's coming into our country, and we have a criteria of who's allowed."
The WISA Bill: A counter-push for talent
As the Ambassador defended the administration's vetting processes, a new legislative effort is gaining traction in Washington to ease the financial and regulatory burden on foreign professionals. The Welcoming International Success Act (WISA), introduced by Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, seeks to dismantle the restrictive H-1B framework established in September 2025.
The 2025 rules imposed a staggering $100,000 filing fee on companies and introduced a wage-weighted lottery system that critics say penalises essential sectors like healthcare and research. The WISA bill aims to:
- Cancel the September 2025 immigration proclamation.
- Reduce or eliminate the steep $100,000 employer filing fee.
- Relax wage requirements that have made hiring international talent prohibitively expensive.
The outcome of this legislative tug-of-war is critical for India, which accounts for 70-75% of all H-1B visas issued annually. There are currently an estimated 7.3 lakh Indian H-1B holders in the US, supported by 5.5 lakh dependents.