India Tribune Newsdesk
Chicago: Chaos erupted at San Francisco International Airport when several Indian passengers aboard an Emirates flight to India abruptly disembarked just moments before takeoff, triggering a three-hour delay. The disruption came in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a staggering $100,000 application fee for the H-1B work visa.
A passenger shared a video on social media capturing the tense scene onboard, showing some travelers standing in the aisles while others anxiously scrolled through their phones, uncertain whether the flight would depart. In one clip, the Emirates captain addressed the passengers directly, offering them the choice to leave the aircraft amid the “unprecedented” circumstances. “Ladies and gentlemen, if you wish to offload yourselves, please do so,” the captain said.
The announcement followed President Trump’s signing of an order aimed at reforming the H-1B visa program, which he criticized for being exploited to replace American workers with lower-paid foreign labor instead of supplementing the workforce.
Tech giants including Microsoft and Meta swiftly reacted to the news, urging H-1B visa holders outside the US to return within 24 hours to avoid re-entry complications. Employees already in the US were advised to remain until the new regulations were fully understood.
The White House later clarified that the $100,000 fee would be a one-time charge applying only to new visa applicants, not renewals or current holders. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized, “This is NOT an annual fee. It applies only to new visas.”
