A viral post on X showing an Indian manager at a Taco Bell outlet multitasking — teaching mathematics to a group of Asian students while ensuring customers received their food on time — has reignited the debate on immigration, diversity and the contribution of skilled migrants in the United States.
The post was shared by Alexander Nowrasteh, who captioned it: “Diversity really is our strength.” Nowrasteh is a well-known advocate of freer migration policies and works at the Cato Institute, a Washington DC-based libertarian think tank.
Countering ‘job-stealing’ claims
The video and Nowrasteh’s comment struck a chord amid ongoing criticism from sections of the MAGA ‘America First’ base, which often accuses Indian immigrants of “stealing” American jobs or undercutting wages. Supporters of immigration, however, argue that such claims ignore how immigrants frequently take on multiple roles, contribute skills and add economic value.
Strong defence of H-1B programme
Nowrasteh has consistently defended the H-1B visa programme, which allows US employers to hire skilled foreign workers. He has argued that the current annual cap — 65,000 visas plus 20,000 for advanced degree holders — is far too low and should be expanded or removed altogether to meet labour market demand.
According to him, skilled immigrants complement rather than replace American workers, and restricting visas imposes what he has described as an “enormous economic cost” on the US economy. A significant share of H-1B holders are Indian and Chinese professionals working in key sectors such as technology and defence.
Concerns over recent policy changes
Nowrasteh has also criticised recent tightening of the H-1B process under the Trump administration, including the replacement of the random lottery with a wage-based selection system and the introduction of a $100,000 fee on many new applications. He argues these measures reduce access for skilled workers and disproportionately affect Indian professionals, who already face long green card wait times due to country-specific limits.
Calling discriminatory treatment of Indian H-1B workers “abominable”, Nowrasteh maintains that restricting skilled immigration undermines meritocracy and economic efficiency — a message the viral Taco Bell post has once again brought into public focus.