American support for India has fallen sharply as frustration grows over foreign-worker programs and a difficult job market for recent graduates. A recent Pew Research Center survey found that 45% of Americans view India favorably while 50% hold an unfavorable opinion. India’s favorable rating stood at 64% in 2008 and 51% in 2023.

Younger adults were among the most skeptical, with only 42% of Americans ages 18 to 29 viewing India favorably, compared with 50% of adults 65 and older. Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents were also more positive than Republicans and Republican-leaning voters, 50% to 42%.

Much of the resentment and falling favor seems to be tied to growing anger over the H-1B program and other employment visas. Roughly 70% of incoming H-1B workers are Indian, with estimates suggesting that visa programs place at least 1.5 million foreign workers in American jobs. It’s an issue that carries particular weight for younger American voters, as around 40% of recent college graduates are underemployed.

Among computer science graduates in particular, the combined unemployment and underemployment rate has reached 26%, according to Federal Reserve data.

Many Americans are questioning whether U.S. citizens are being given a fair shot at building a stable career and owning a home one day, which is where much of the frustration with the H-1B program stems from.

Payrolls fell by 23,000 in July, 40% of recent college graduates are underemployed, and computer science graduates face an unemployment and underemployment rate of 26%. Regardless, American companies are still filling roles with foreign talent, which isn’t coming across great for Americans who are struggling to enter these fields as they continuously lose out to cheap labor.

The tension extends beyond the job market, as a recent white paper based on the Congressional Budget Office population estimates found that unauthorized immigration accounted for roughly 30% of house-price growth and 20% of rent growth between early 2021 and early 2024. The same influx was responsible for about 30% of employment growth, although researchers found no significant reduction in local wages.

As young Americans compete for limited housing and entry-level jobs, all while paying high grocery prices that have not fallen since the pandemic, many younger workers are seeing immigration policy as adding an unnecessary pressure to an economy where the basic milestones of adulthood already feel increasingly out of reach.

Immigration is a growing issue on both sides of the political aisle, albeit for different reasons. However, illegal immigration, mass deportations, and the H-1B program itself are growing issues, particularly with young GOP voters.

The backlash could change how employers recruit for jobs, and Washington could tighten H-1B eligibility, raise required salaries, or simply demand proof that companies tried to hire Americans first. Those changes could give domestic graduates a better chance at interviews in technology, engineering, and consulting.

The H-1B program, as well as its rampant abuse, could be a defining issue in the upcoming midterms. Reports of staffing firms using fake résumés and bringing in cheaper contract labor have strengthened the belief that parts of the program operate less like a search for rare talent and more like a corporate labor scam.

Candidates who defend the system without demanding audits, wage protections, and serious penalties may struggle with voters watching American graduates fight for entry-level work. The question heading into November will be whether Washington protects the workers who vote here, or the companies that exploit loopholes to avoid hiring them.