President Donald Trump's "America First" agenda and his focus on curbing immigration have stoked fears that visas widely given to technology workers may be on the chopping block.
Since the early 1990s, H-1B visas have helped companies in the U.S. access qualified — and typically lower-paid — technology workers. The visas require that recipients hold a bachelor's degree and qualify as practitioners of a "specialty occupation" in their field of study.
Currently, around 85,000 visas are granted annually to immigrants by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which is part of the Department of Homeland Security. After that, the individual holding the visa can apply for a green card, making H-1Bs a common path for immigrants who want to continue to work and settle in the United States.
Amid the court battles over Trump's so-called travel ban, worries have grown in India that the visa program could be next in the president's sights. The White House has said it plans to reform the H-1B program, but details about what action it will take are still unclear.