'Every Single H-1B Equals 10 Illegal Aliens': US Pollster Says Indians Replacing American Workers

Last Updated:December 11, 2025, 22:53 IST

US pollster Mark Mitchell said each senior H‑1B developer at tech firms like Apple represents “the economic equivalent of 10 illegal aliens.”

US pollster Mark Mitchell criticised the Trump administration for not sending back H-1B workers. (Photo: X)

Top US pollster and political commentator Mark Mitchell called for sending back Indian professionals working in the US on H-1B visas, saying each senior H‑1B developer at tech firms such as Apple represents “the economic equivalent of 10 illegal aliens."

Mitchell, the CEO of Rasmussen Reports – one of America’s top polling companies – has repeatedly called for the deportation of Indian H-1B workers, claiming they are stealing American jobs. He recently announced plans to “de-Indianise" US companies by starting a consultancy firm on the matter.

Speaking at a programme with Steve Bannon, former adviser to US President Donald Trump and a MAGA voice, Mitchell slammed the Trump administration for not sending back H-1B visa holders and said it was easy for Indians to replace American workers.

“Every single H-1B senior developer at Apple that we send back is economically equivalent to deporting 10 illegal aliens. So I don’t know why we didn’t do that yesterday. A lot of these people are entry-level, but a lot of them are making a ton of money," he said.

Mitchell argued that Silicon Valley tech companies depend heavily on immigrant labour for a lower-cost workforce and ignore American workers for the jobs, which makes it easier for Indians to replace Americans. To support his argument, he said an H-1B developer earning around $90,000 a year is equivalent to 10 undocumented workers earning $9 an hour.

He said two-thirds of Silicon Valley’s workforce was foreign-born, and most of them were coming from India. “Walmart had engineering buildings that had 85-95% Indian nationals. They come in on these golden pathways, and they take these jobs," he added.

The pollster also described H-1B workers as “third-world engineers", saying there was a “bottomless well" for these employees. “People like me who have a family who are a little more expensive, maybe have gotten a few raises. My health insurance is a little more expensive. Really easy to replace me and train my replacement," he mentioned.

His remarks came as recent data showed that foreign-born professionals hold roughly 66% of Silicon Valley’s tech jobs, with Indians accounting for 23% of them.

Meanwhile, Bannon also criticised the H-1B visa programme, accusing Indian IT firms of getting kickbacks by sending employees to the US. He also alleged widespread corruption and fraud, and that the H-1B system rewarded temporary talent while sidelining American talent.

News world 'Every Single H-1B Equals 10 Illegal Aliens': US Pollster Says Indians Replacing American Workers

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