Ankit Gupta Sparks H-1B Backlash Over $103,265 Visa Fee as JD Vance Pushes Americans-First Hiring
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 29
Ankit Gupta Sparks H-1B Backlash Over $103,265 Visa Fee as JD Vance Pushes Americans-First Hiring
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 29
Summary
Ankit Gupta, a Y Combinator general partner, drew fire after mocking JD Vance’s Americans-first hiring stance as “DEI” following the Trump administration’s proposed $103,265 fee on many new H-1B petitions.
The fee would sharply raise the cost of hiring foreign specialty workers, a move Vance argues would push companies to hire and train U.S. workers instead of relying on cheaper overseas labor.
Anthony D’Esposito, Andrew Ferguson and Harmeet Dhillon were among Trump officials who condemned Gupta’s remarks, tying them to broader claims that tech companies abuse H-1B and related visa programs to sideline Americans.
Garry Tan responded that Y Combinator supports hiring and funding Americans, but the dispute widened into a fresh fight over Silicon Valley staffing, entry-level tech jobs and whether the visa system fuels replacement rather than talent shortages.