Trump Declares War on Tech Outsourcing with Sweeping AI Action Plan Targeting India and China

Current estimates indicate the United States has outsourced approximately 300,000 technology-based positions to India, where workers have become integral to American tech infrastructure. This dependency is further illustrated by H-1B visa statistics: Indian nationals received 72.3% of the 386,000 H-1B visas issued in fiscal year 2023, underscoring America’s reliance on Indian STEM expertise.

Visa Program Concerns and Wage Suppression

The H-1B visa program has become a focal point of controversy regarding American worker displacement. The top 30 H-1B employers imported more than 34,000 new foreign workers in 2022, representing 40% of the total annual visa cap, while simultaneously conducting layoffs affecting at least 85,000 employees during 2022 and early 2023. This pattern suggests systematic replacement of American workers concurrent with expanded foreign labor utilization.

Wage analysis reveals significant compensation disparities within the H-1B program. Research shows 60% of H-1B positions receive wage assignments below local median levels, with computer occupation salaries averaging 17% to 34% less than prevailing local compensation. Major technology corporations, including Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, actively utilize the program to hire at these reduced rates, contributing to broader wage suppression effects.