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Indian-Americans slam ‘racist’ comments by Trump supporters over visa scheme

The furore was sparked by a call from Donald Trump’s handpicked AI adviser Sriram Krishnan to remove country caps on green cards

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Supporters of former president Donald Trump gather at the Republican National Convention  on July 18, 2024 in Milwaukee. Photo: Getty Images via AFP

Indian-Americans have slammed racist comments by some supporters of US-president elect Donald Trump against his handpicked artificial intelligence adviser Sriram Krishnan following Krishnan’s call to amend the country’s immigration policy.

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Krishnan wrote in a post on X: “Anything to remove country caps for green cards / unlock skilled immigration would be huge ... we need the best, regardless of where they happen to be born.”

Far-right critics, particularly those aligned with Make America Great Again (MAGA) ideologies, have criticised Krishnan for his call and decried his appointment.

A user with the epithet Mrs Doubtfire posted on the X platform: “All of my dear Indian friends are calling Americans expressing dissent on open border #H1B policy ‘racist.’ Literally no one said a word about Sriram openly saying he, an ethnic-Indian, wants to give Indian nationals unlimited access to the US.”

Many Trump supporters have been pushing for the removal of the H-1B visa programme as debates intensify in the US over job concerns and the presence of foreign professionals working in the country, including those of Indian origin.

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A video of far-right commentator Stew Peters and comedian Leonardo Jonie Peters spewing hate against Indian-Americans has sparked outrage among the global Indian community and made headlines in Indian media.

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