Indian takeover of US city: Right-wing turns Frisco council meet into H-1B showdown

A city council meeting in Frisco, Texas, turned into a verbal clash between right-wing critics and Indian-origin citizens. While the right-wing participants alleged that Indians were committing visa fraud by acquiring H-1B visas and displacing American citizens, the Indian attendees argued they were being generalised as a community and their presence was a net benefit for the American city.

A packed city council meeting in Frisco in the American state of Texas turned into a verbal showdown between right-wing individuals and Indian-origin people. Dozens of individuals wearing right-wing symbols alleged widespread H-1B visa fraud and an "Indian Takeover" clashed with Indian-origin citizens, who argued that their presence was in fact beneficial for the US city.

According to reports in the Dallas Observer and The Dallas Morning News, the council meeting, which took place on February 3, saw around a dozen individuals wearing America First hats, masks emblazoned with the symbol of the Marvel character, Punisher, and other US right-wing symbology attend the meeting after a social media conservative influencers, Kaylee Campbell and Marc Palasciano, who urged disgruntled North Texans to attend the council meeting and speak about the "massive takeover" of Indians in Frisco.

According to the Dallas Observer, none of those individuals were Frisco citizens and had rather come from across North Texas to rage against what they perceived as massive fraud being perpetuated in the H-1B visa programme, and an imminent "Indian takeover" of Frisco.

"Frisco is changing at a speed that no community can absorb without damage... When lifelong residents voice concern, we are told our concern is bigotry. That is a lie," according to Dylan Law, a University of North Texas student from Frisco. "Parents are watching their children become foreigners in classrooms that their tax dollars paid for," the Dallas Observer reported.

It is true that the Indian-origin population in Frisco has been on an uptick. According to a survey conducted by the city government, Indians and other Asians comprised 33% of Fresco's population, up from 10% in 2010.

This rise in Indian households, combined with the fact that 75% of all H-1B visas are issued to Indian professionals according to USCIS data, is being used by fringe right-wing individuals to argue that fraud was taking place within the visa programme.