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Trump 2025 Immigration Orders: Urgent Advisory for Indian Clients

From January 2025, President Trump’s new immigration orders have created three main legal flashpoints:

(1) birthright citizenship limits,

(2) a broad 19‑country travel ban, and

(3) a USD 100,000 H‑1B fee for many new petitions from abroad.

All three are under active challenge in U.S. federal courts, but for now they are partially or largely in force, so Indian clients must plan assuming higher risk and cost, particularly for H‑1B strategy and for families where U.S.‑born children’s citizenship may be questioned at the margins.

• For H‑1B: New overseas filings may attract the USD 100,000 fee unless exempt; advise employers to consider alternatives (L‑1, O‑1, remote work) and to review business models that rely on offshore‑to‑onsite rotation.
• For U.S.‑born children of non‑LPR parents: Flag that EO 14160 is blocked in part but the Supreme Court has the issue; advise careful documentation and warn that final resolution is pending.
• For the June 2025 travel ban: Clients with dual nationality, family or business links to the 19 affected countries need bespoke routing, nationality, and passport‑usage advice; the ban does not target India but can indirectly affect Indian multinationals and mixed‑nationality families.

Litigation and practical impact:

Executive action (2025)	Main content (immigration/visa)	Who is affected in practice (esp. Indians)	Court challenge & current status
EO 14160 – “Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship”	Narrows birthright citizenship to children of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents only.	Indian H‑1B/F‑1/L‑1 families with U.S.‑born children; risk to automatic citizenship if EO is upheld, though currently not fully in force.	Multiple federal suits + Supreme Court review; broad preliminary injunctions keep key parts unenforceable; partial stay means uncertainty until final decision.
June 2025 “travel ban” for 19 countries (EO under INA 212(f))	Full entry ban for nationals of 12 countries; partial suspension of B‑1/B‑2/F/M/J and immigrant visas for 7 more.	Indian clients are indirectly affected through spouses/partners, staff, or projects involving nationals from banned countries; Indian passport holders are not banned.	NGOs and individuals have sued, arguing overreach and discrimination; no nationwide block, so bans remain largely in force while cases proceed in appellate courts.
Proclamation – “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers” (H‑1B fee)	Imposes around USD 100,000 fee for many new H‑1B petitions for workers outside the U.S., with narrow exceptions.	Indian IT/tech professionals and Indian‑headquartered outsourcing companies; sharply raises cost of new H‑1B hires from India and may shift demand to L‑1/O‑1 or remote work. ​	Around 20 U.S. states plus business/education groups have sued, alleging lack of statutory authority and APA violations; courts have not (yet) enjoined, so USCIS is collecting the fee pending outcome.
Border “invasion” / asylum & expedited‑removal orders (Jan 2025)	Declares emergency, tightens asylum eligibility, expands expedited removal, and limits release after entry.	Mainly affects asylum seekers at the southern border; limited direct effect on Indian professionals/students, but relevant for Indian nationals using third‑country routes.	Civil‑rights and immigrant‑rights suits have led to partial injunctions (particularly on some asylum‑limiting provisions); core enforcement posture remains active. ​
Refugee‑admissions reduction/suspension orders	Slashes refugee ceiling and pauses many new refugee admissions, with narrow exceptions.	Limited direct impact on typical Indian employment‑ or family‑based cases; relevant for certain religious‑minority or conflict‑zone Indian clients.	Litigation has forced processing of some already‑approved cases, but lower ceilings and tighter criteria largely stand while cases are pending.​

What Indian IT Pros Must Know Now

President Trump’s 2025 executive actions hit Indian IT workers hardest through the $100,000 H-1B fee and rising scrutiny, forcing a rethink of U.S. career strategies. This blog breaks down the real risks and practical steps for Indian citizens on H-1B, L-1, or pursuing them.

H-1B Fee: Game-Changer for Indian Talent Pipeline

The September 2025 proclamation mandates a $100,000 one-time fee for many new H-1B petitions filed from outside the U.S., targeting the offshore-to-onsite model that powers Indian IT giants like TCS, Infosys, and Wipro. Indians, who receive over 70% of H-1Bs, face slashed job offers, stalled transfers, and a pivot to L-1 intra-company visas, O-1 extraordinary ability, or staying remote in India. ​

Litigation by 20 states is underway, but no injunction blocks USCIS from collecting fees yet—plan as if it’s permanent.

Indirect Hits: Travel Bans and “Third World” Threats

India avoids the June 2025 19-country travel ban, but Indian firms lose productivity from denied visas for Afghan, Iranian, or African staff on mixed projects. Trump’s “permanent pause” rhetoric and USCIS green-card re-exams signal more RFEs, delays, and birth-tourism crackdowns affecting H-1B families.

5 Urgent Steps for Indian IT Professionals

• Pause non-essential travel: Avoid visa stamping abroad if on H-1B extension or amendment—consulates are unpredictable.
• Diversify visas: Push employers for L-1 (no cap, intracompany) or O-1; students, aim for cap-exempt H-1B via universities. ​
• Build Plan B: Canada Express Entry, UK Skilled Worker, or UAE Golden Visa now process faster than U.S. paths.
• Document aggressively: Extra proof of ties, wages above median, and U.S. job necessity counters rising scrutiny.
• Employer talks: Ask HR about fee absorption, remote options, or U.S. campus hiring to bypass overseas fees. ​

Quick Risk Table: Trump Policies vs. Indian IT Cases

Policy	Indian IT Impact	Status	Action
H-1B $100K Fee	Blocks new hires from India	In force (suits pending)	Switch to L-1/O-1
Travel Ban (19 countries)	Project delays for mixed teams	Active	Reroute nationalities
Green Card Re-exams	EB-2/3 delays, more RFEs	Expanding	Over-prepare evidence
Birth-right Limits (EO 14160)	H-1B family uncertainty	Partly blocked	Dual-citizenship planning

Stay ahead: Consult specialists like Ajmera Law International for case reviews. Share if this helps your network!