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Journalism of Courage
Amid US President Donald Trump’s new $100,000 fee on fresh H-1B visas, an Indian-born researcher’s LinkedIn post about finally becoming a permanent resident of the States is striking a chord online. Rajavasanth Rajasegar, who first came to the US in 2011 on an F-1 visa to study mechanical engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), shared a candid look at his 14-year immigration journey.
“Since then, I’ve been fortunate to have a privileged, streamlined path: F-1 renewals, OPT + STEM, a cap-gap exempt H-1B during the pandemic, and eventually a transition into faculty,” he wrote, crediting the “tremendous investment” in his education and career.
Rajasegar completed seven years of fully funded graduate work at UIUC followed by five years of postdoctoral research at Sandia National Laboratories before landing a tenure-track role at Colorado School of Mines. Despite this steady rise, he said the “visa clock” always loomed in the background. “I still remember asking my manager in Feb 2020, ‘Can we start H-1B just in case?’” he wrote.
Even with no financial strain or job insecurity, the uncertainty never fully went away. His EB1A green card application faced hurdles, including an unexpected request for evidence questioning the significance of his work. But with the support of mentors and additional documentation, he eventually got approval. “Today, that clock doesn’t exist,” he wrote. “That’s the only real difference and it’s a big one. I hope the American Dream, whatever it truly means, stays alive and accessible.”
The post has drawn thousands of reactions and heartfelt congratulations. One commenter wrote, “I distinctly remember our time together as teaching assistants in statics and dynamics back at Illinois. It was a pleasure working with you and happy to see all your hard work pay off.” Another said, “It has been a long journey. Well deserved! So proud of you!”
Meanwhile, Trump’s newly signed proclamation marks one of his toughest moves yet on immigration. By setting a $100,000 (about Rs 88 lakh) fee for new H-1B visas, the administration says it aims to ensure only the “very highly skilled” enter the US without displacing American workers. Created in 1990, the H-1B visa allows US companies to hire foreign professionals in specialised fields, particularly science, technology, engineering and math, where domestic talent is scarce.
