Amid a contentious debate over the H1-B visa program in the United States, an Indian American entrepreneur, Sidharth, has reported receiving personal threats from MAGA supporters. Sidharth, an active supporter of legal immigration, claimed his personal phone number was leaked, prompting a wave of threatening messages. He later deleted the post on X (formerly Twitter) in which he appealed to MAGA influencers to stop the harassment.
Sidharth, who describes himself as a “highly skilled Indian immigrant,” is a technopreneur, investor, and engineer who works with young Indian and American graduates to create jobs. In his deleted post, he wrote, “My personal phone number has been leaked, and I am getting personal threats. I once again appeal to large MAGA accounts to stop this onslaught of bots onto me! I have a young family, and you are trying to harm my family.”
The threats against Sidharth coincide with broader tensions surrounding the H1-B visa program, which grants work permits to highly skilled foreign workers. Recently, President-elect Donald Trump expressed support for the program, despite backlash from his MAGA base. “I’ve always liked the [H1-B] visas. I have always been in favour of the visas; that’s why we have them,” Trump told the New York Post.
This comes amid accusations from MAGA influencers that tech magnate Elon Musk is censoring dissenting voices on X. Several prominent accounts lost their blue verification badges—a premium feature enabling monetization—following an online spat with Musk. Laura Loomer, a MAGA influencer, claimed her posts were being marked as spam, further fueling discontent among the conservative base.
Amid these controversies, Sidharth criticized selective censorship on social media platforms, tweeting, “Selective cancellations are like a fire alarm that only goes off when someone they hate lights a candle, but stays silent while their friends are setting the whole building on fire and roasting marshmallows.”
The H1-B visa program remains a polarizing issue in the US, with debates over its impact on American jobs and its role in fostering innovation. Trump’s recent comments in support of the program have further highlighted the divide between his traditional base and the tech industry.
