Best of the Week: Trump’s $100,000 H-1B sticker shock

For thousands of Indians chasing the American dream, the H-1B visa has long been a golden ticket—a way to turn ambition into opportunity. But last week, the Trump administration dropped a bombshell: the application fee has jumped from $1,000 to a staggering $100,000. While it’s a one-time charge, not an annual one, the sheer scale of the hike feels like a door slammed shut—especially for smaller businesses, schools, and healthcare institutions that simply can’t shoulder such costs.

The irony? The US has thrived for decades on the brilliance of foreign talent—think Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella, and countless Indian engineers and doctors who’ve helped build its economy.