Panic, confusion, and anger reigned as workers on H-1B visas from India and China were forced to abandon travel plans and rush back to the U.S. after President Donald Trump imposed new visa fees, in line with his wide-ranging immigration crackdown.
Fearing they would not be allowed back once the new rule took effect, several Indian nationals at San Francisco airport said they cut short vacations.
“It is a situation where we had to choose between family and staying here," said an engineer at a large tech company whose wife had been on an Emirates flight from San Francisco to Dubai that was scheduled to depart at 5:05 p.m. local time (12:05 a.m. GMT) on Friday.
The flight was delayed by more than three hours after several Indian passengers who received news of the order or memos from their employers demanded to deplane, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity. At least five passengers were eventually allowed off, said the engineer.
A video of the incident was circulating on social media, showing a few people leaving the plane. Reuters could not independently verify the veracity of the video.
The engineer's wife, also a H-1B visa holder, chose to head to India to care for her sick mother. "It's quite tragic. We have built a life here,” he told Reuters.
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