Corporate America Reels From Trump’s Sudden $100K H-1B Visa Rule
There’s panic in Silicon Valley and corridors of multinational firms, and for good reason. Late last week, President Trump signed a proclamation that slaps a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa applications — a move that has thrown tech companies, foreign workers, and governments into confusion and alarm.
What We Know
- As of September 19, 2025, anyone filing a new H-1B petition will face that $100,000 payment.
- The policy does not apply to existing H-1B holders or renewals. That includes those abroad who might otherwise worry about re-entry.
- White House and immigration agencies issued clarifications: this fee is aimed at new petitions; it’s not a recurring charge, not “annual” for those already under a visa.
Why There’s Chaos
The speed and ambiguity of the rollout triggered widespread fear. Tech giants like Microsoft, Amazon, and JPMorgan began quietly warning H-1B holders to stay inside U.S. borders or rush back from abroad.
Families cut vacations short. Flight itineraries were changed at the last minute. Social media exploded with panic. People scrambled for answers: Which trips can I still take? Am I safe to leave the country? Will my renewal be honored? Does my employer have to front the fee?
Foreign governments registered concern, especially India — which supplies over 70% of H-1Bs — warning of “humanitarian consequences” and impacts on bilateral cooperation.
What This Means
- The policy is clearly intended as a blunt instrument: driving up cost enough to discourage reliance on foreign-skilled labor, to “protect” domestic workers in Trump’s framing.
- For big tech and banking, this turns visa planning into high-stakes poker. The $100,000 fee raises the cost of hiring non-US workers dramatically. Some operations might move offshore or delay hiring altogether.
- For visa holders already here: unless they’re renewing or applying newly, they’re largely spared — but the uncertainty has already done damage in fear, logistical disruption, and family stress.
The Takeaway
Trump didn’t just tweak H-1B policy. He dropped a bombshell. Even with clarifications, the damage is done: trust is shaken, careers are scrambled, and global talent signals are muddied. Policy like this doesn’t only force legal or bureaucratic change—it forces human cost. And that cost is already being paid.
When the Code Crashes: Europe’s Big Airports Grounded by Cyberattack
Late Friday night, electronic check-in systems across major European airports went offline—not by accident, but by design. The culprit: a “cyber-related disruption” centered on MUSE, the passenger-processing software from Collins Aerospace (owned by RTX) used for check-ins, baggage drop-offs, and boarding. Airports hit hardest include London Heathrow, Brussels, and Berlin Brandenburg, with chaos spreading outward as backups failed to keep pace.
How the Attack Rolled Out
Systems went dark late Friday in Brussels. By Saturday, Heathrow confirmed that its check-in, baggage drop, and boarding interfaces were impacted. Manual operations were scrambled in—boarding passes printed by hand, bag tags written with pen, staff stretched to handle queues. Airlines tried to keep things moving, but flights were delayed, some canceled, and confusion reigned everywhere.
Airports in the Hot Seat, Passengers in the Lurch
- Brussels Airport: massive disruption. On Sunday morning, half the departing flights were canceled to get the backlog under control.
- Heathrow: a deluge of delays—departing passengers warned of long waits. Staff pressed into extra duty.
- Berlin: also heavily affected. Passengers saw long delays and cancellations as check-in counters operated with paper and pen.
- Dublin, Cork: some reports suggest lighter impact—delays, system confusion—but less severe or widespread than in Brussels, London, or Berlin.
The Big Picture & What’s Confirmed
- RTX / Collins Aerospace admits the issue is “cyber-related disruption” affecting its MUSE software in select airports in Europe.
- No confirmed breach of flight safety systems, no evidence (so far) that air traffic control was compromised. The attack seems focused specifically on passenger processing infrastructure.
- The source of the attack is still unknown. There’s speculation in cyber-security circles about ransomware or targeted sabotage, but no official attribution yet.
Why This Matters
This isn’t only about delayed flights and stranded passengers (though there are plenty). It’s evidence that modern airports—especially big hubs—are dangerously dependent on centralized, vendor-provided software. When one supplier’s systems go down, the ripple effects are massive. Every late flight, every canceled route, every desperate backup process exposes how thin the buffer is.
Passengers: check your flights. Arrive early. Airlines: activate manual protocols. Regulators: demand accountability. In the meantime, Collins Aerospace says it’s working “as quickly as possible” to restore full functionality. But when the automatic systems go dark, it takes more than a little code to get things back on schedule.
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