The American Dream isn’t dead—but for many young Indian immigrants, it’s no longer available. That’s the stark warning from IIM alumnus Lokesh Ahuja, who argues the U.S. is quietly rewriting the rules to favor only the elite.In a pointed LinkedIn post, Ahuja breaks down what he calls a “global shift in who countries want”—and who they don’t. At the center of his warning: Big Tech layoffs, rising anti-immigrant rhetoric, and a reengineered visa system that’s shutting out entry-level talent.
“Trump is back and he’s not holding back,” Ahuja wrote, pointing to the former president’s explicit calls to “hire Americans, not Indians.” That rhetoric now aligns with policy. The new U.S. point-based immigration framework rewards only high-income professionals—squeezing out recent grads and early-career workers.
“The United States still wants global talent—but not all of it. Only the crème de la crème,” he said. “Not the hungry 23-year-old hoping to prove themselves. But the 29-year-old with a fat job offer.”Even birthright citizenship is on the chopping block again, as U.S. lawmakers revive a bill to end automatic citizenship for children born to non-citizens. Ahuja sees it as part of a deeper shift—from “welcoming immigrants to limiting their futures.”
The impact is already visible. “In just the first half of 2025, U.S. student visas for Indians dropped 44%,” he wrote. Fall applications are reportedly down by more than 50%, with students pivoting to countries offering clearer, more inclusive immigration paths.Ahuja’s takeaway is blunt: “If the market turns, it’s immigrant workers who are most likely to be sidelined. And if the laws evolve, they are evolving to serve fewer, not more.”And the trend isn’t isolated. Canada now favors applicants with high salaries and work experience. Australia’s new scoring system rewards older, higher-earning migrants. Even Europe is tilting toward “premium migrants,” Ahuja warns.
“The rules are changing. The message is clear. The American Dream is slowly becoming the Americans’ Dream.”