Report Finds Surge in Anti-Indian Rhetoric Online Amid U.S. Immigration Debate
WASHINGTON — Anti-Indian rhetoric online has surged in the United States amid ongoing debates over immigration policy, according to a recent study by the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI).
The U.S.-based research organization identified about 24,000 posts on X in 2025 containing anti-Indian rhetoric that collectively received more than 300 million views. The volume of such content tripled compared with the previous year, according to findings cited in a report by the American news outlet The Free Press.
Researchers said the activity was driven largely by a small number of influential accounts rather than emerging organically across the platform.
“The attack was led by just a few accounts rather than organically spreading online. According to the study, the three ‘most prolific posters’ generated a total of 525 posts on X — and those posts were viewed, liked, and reposted 18.4 million times. Those three X accounts attracted over 10 per cent of all likes and 20 per cent of all reposts among the anti-Indian posts reviewed by NCRI,” The Free Press report noted.
According to the study, spikes in anti-Indian posts frequently followed announcements of immigration policy changes under President Donald Trump’s administration. One flashpoint cited in the report was the introduction of a $100,000 fee for employers sponsoring H-1B visa workers. In an executive order issued in September 2025, Trump said the fee was intended to curb fraud.
“Most of the highly-engaged anti-Indian tweets during this period applauded this order as a way to curb Indian immigration while simultaneously engaging in racist verbal abuse,” The Free Press quoted the NCRI study as saying.
The report found that online discussions around visas, immigration policy, and assimilation often included ethnic slurs and stereotypes. NCRI data indicated the volume of anti-Indian posts peaked in mid-December, with more than 800 posts per week containing slurs such as “pajeet and dothead.”
A recent viral video also fueled the online debate. Footage of an Indian couple participating in an online dance challenge at Washington’s World War II Memorial drew criticism from some users, with some commenters calling for visa restrictions.
“The clip led to demands from some Americans to acknowledge the solemnity of the space. ‘No more H-1B,’ one user replied. The work visa has become a frequent reference in insults lobbed online at some immigrant group,” the report said.
Separate coverage by India Narrative cited NCRI’s findings and argued that the surge in anti-Indian rhetoric appears to be amplified by influential online accounts and algorithms rather than occurring randomly.
“Even prominent Indian-Americans face the barrage. Usha Vance, the US Second Lady with Indian immigrant parents, drew over 2,000 hostile posts; Vice President J D Vance fired back bluntly against critics. FBI Director Kash Patel and DOJ Civil Rights head Harmeet Dhillon endured racist attacks. Dhillon called out ‘blatant racism and nativism’ during the 2024 RNC. Indian conservatives like Utsav Sanduja warn that this erodes bipartisan support built over the years,” the report said.
The coverage also argued that technology platforms and policymakers must respond more aggressively to the spread of online hate.
“Platforms must act: curb algorithmic boosts for hate, verify influencer networks, and enforce transparency on high-view content. Policymakers should distinguish legitimate H-1B reforms from ethnic scapegoating. India, a key US ally in tech and defence, deserves better than slurs,” the report stated. (Source: IANS)
