Hyderabad’s Chilkur Balaji Temple, popularly known as the ‘Visa Temple’, unexpectedly became the focus of an online rant by US Senator Eric Schmitt, who criticized the US H-1B visa program.
In a series of posts on X, the Republican senator from Missouri attacked America’s employment-based visa system, arguing that it suppresses local wages and creates a global “visa cartel” that displaces American workers.
Referring to the Chilkur Balaji Temple, Schmitt claimed that there is a “Visa Temple” for the “Visa Cartel” to pray to in order to obtain their US visas.
“The ‘Visa Cartel’ has its own ‘Visa Temple’ in Hyderabad where thousands of Indians circle the altars and receive passports blessed for US work visas,” he wrote. “American workers should not have to compete with a system that is being gamed.”
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The Republican argued that US visa programs such as the H-1B, L-1, F-1 and Optional Practical Training (OPT) were “hollowing out” the American middle class. “Fraud and abuse are commonplace.”
“Shell companies and kickback schemes are driving cheap, visa-dependent labor into U.S. jobs while Americans are being overlooked,” Schmitt said. “Billions are now flowing into India for AI training, subsidized by the Americans.”
He said L-1 visas have become big business for the visa cartel. “Foreign firms set up fake ‘new offices’, transfer managers and BYPASS salary caps or caps.”
Schmitt called the F-1 visa a “silent job killer” and said foreign students, nearly half of whom are Indian, are being hired by big tech companies at below-average wages.
“They get taxpayer-subsidized work permits, corporations get no payroll taxes or wage rules,” he said. “They’re fattening up H-1Bs, then green cards, while US grads with debt compete with cheaper labor.”
The senator then claimed that the “cartel’s work” did not end there. He said Indian visa holders share confidential questions that are asked during interviews with other applicants from India.
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“Big Tech vendors exposed Indian visa holders sharing confidential interview questions with Indian applicants,” he said. “Big Tech is quietly locking out Americans by funneling jobs through these pipelines. Merit is now being replaced by ethnic favoritism.”
Schmitt closed his thread by saying, “Enough. We need to end the fraud, shut down these networks, close the loopholes, and make sure we serve American workers.”
Why did Schmitt mention the Chilkur Balaji temple in his derogatory post?
The great American dream often begins with a prayer in Hyderabad. Across town, a unique spiritual ecosystem has sprung up around US visa approvals, frequented by aspiring students and tech workers.
The epicenter of this phenomenon is the historic Chilkur Balaji temple. Affectionately dubbed the “Visa Temple” by locals, it serves as the final and faithful stop for applicants seeking the divine stamp of approval before meeting the consulate.
India consistently accounts for about 70-80 percent of total H-1B visa approvals, significantly more than China, which accounts for about 12 percent.
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How did netizens react?
Social media users criticized Eric Schmitt for dragging the temple into controversy and called him a racist.
However, a large number of netizens agreed with the senator and called for stricter “visa control and even a reconsideration of already granted visas if they really want highly qualified individuals.”
