Last Updated:
Kaku called the H-1B the “genius visa” and “America’s secret weapon,” adding that there would be no Silicon Valley in the US without such a visa program
American-born physicist Michio Kaku | File Image
An old video of American physicist Michio Kaku resurfaced online amid debates over US President Donald Trump’s sudden hike in H-1B visa fees to $100,000 (around Rs 88 lakh).
In the clip, Kaku calls the H-1B the “genius visa” and “America’s secret weapon,” adding that there would be no Silicon Valley in the US without such a visa program.
Recommended Stories
“America has a secret weapon. That secret weapon is the H-1B. Without the H-1B, the scientific establishment of this country would collapse. Forget about Google or Silicon Valley. There would be no Silicon Valley without the H-1B. Do you know what the H-1B is? It’s the genius visa,” Kaku can be heard saying in the video.
The new rule, announced with little notice, is set to take effect from September 21 at 12:01 am EDT (9:31 am IST).
It bars H-1B visa holders from re-entering the US unless their employers pay the increased fee. Indian professionals heavily use the visa program.
Kaku On Silicon Valley
In the video, Kaku noted that nearly 50 per cent of PhD candidates in the US are foreign-born, and that H-1B visa holders have helped build industries, including Silicon Valley.
He warned that reducing access to H-1B visas could lead to talent returning to countries like India and China, weakening the US economy.
“They don’t take jobs from Americans. They create entire industries,” he said.
Internet Reacts
The move has sparked mixed reactions online.
Some users argued that H-1B holders “take away American jobs” or are a “threat to Western civilisation”, while others defended the program, saying it allows the US to attract top global talent.
Some praised the move, claiming it could create more opportunities for domestic graduates, while others warned that it could prompt American tech companies to relocate their operations abroad.
One user wrote, “The companies will get hit hard at the bottom line, but our underemployed and unemployed college grads will actually have opportunities again.”
Another said, “American tech companies might leave to offshore countries to escape these new rules or they are gonna lose big.”
The H-1B visa has long been seen as a key tool for attracting skilled workers to the US, particularly in the technology and scientific sectors.
About the Author
Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be…Read More
Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be… Read More
United States of America (USA)
September 20, 2025, 20:31 IST
Loading comments…
Read More
