Indian Students and H-1B Workers Hit Hard by US Office Closures

Indian Students and H-1B Workers: In a major setback for Indian students and professionals in the United States, the US government under Donald Trump has decided to shut down three important immigration support offices. These include the Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) Ombudsman. This move has raised serious concerns among Indian nationals. They rely on these services for resolving visa and immigration-related issues.

According to immigration lawyers and experts, these support offices played a crucial role in helping immigrants. This was especially true for those on H-1B work visas and F-1 student visas. The CIS Ombudsman’s Office, in particular, helped applicants facing delays, errors in documents, or problems in communication with the immigration department USCIS.

In 2024 alone, this office reportedly assisted nearly 30,000 applicants. Many of them were Indians. They faced challenges with visa renewals, application rejections, or delays that affected their legal stay and employment status in the US.

The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) expressed concern over the decision. They said that removing oversight agencies could allow the administration to act without checks or accountability. These offices provided a platform for people to raise concerns and get support. This was especially true when the regular immigration process failed to resolve isuesm

Immigration attorney Rajiv S. Khanna pointed out that one of the most common complaints to the Ombudsman’s Office came from H-1B visa holders struggling with long delays in getting their visa extensions. In one example, an engineer from Bangalore had to wait for 11 months for a visa extension. His job and housing were at risk but when the Ombudsman’s Office got involved his visa was approved in just two weeks.

With the closure of these support offices such help will no longer be available. This means immigrants especially Indians may face more difficulties if there are delays or mistakes in their visa processing. Students on F-1 visas often depend on timely approvals for internships, work permits, or course extensions. They could be affected as well.

Indian Students and H-1B Workers:

Experts believe this decision could lead to more confusion, legal troubles, and even deportation risks. This especially applies to those who have no way to escalate unresolved issues. Many say the government should strengthen support systems instead of removing them. This is especially important when so many people rely on the US for education and work opportunities.

The move is seen as part of a larger effort by the Trump administration to tighten immigration policies. This shift has already created anxiety among immigrant communities in the US.

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