Srinivasachary Tamirisa, a retired doctor in Texas, celebrated the unveiling of a Hanuman statue at a temple he helped build. Hundreds gathered as both Indian and American anthems played, showing the blend of cultures. But outside, conservative protesters called it "a demon god" and said, "We are a CHRISTIAN nation." Tamirisa, who moved to the US 50 years ago and built a successful career as an OB-GYN, was shocked. He said, "I thought this was heaven on earth." Now, he wonders why he is in America and considers returning to India. Many Indian Americans are troubled by rising anti-Indian remarks and visa restrictions. Top Republicans like Stephen Miller and Ron DeSantis criticize the H-1B visa program, calling it harmful to American workers and "chain migration run amok." Since 1965, hundreds of thousands of Indians have legally moved to the US, becoming a model skilled immigrant group. Milan Vaishnav of Carnegie Endowment calls Indian Americans "poster children for America’s skilled immigration." But this partnership now faces a sharp break. Indian student arrivals in US universities dropped 44% this year after peaking last year. Sai Sushma Pasupuleti, a doctoral student, found it hard to get jobs. Employers asked, "Are you a US citizen?" and turned her away when she said no. Despite investing in her education, the US seems ready to push skilled immigrants away. The Trump administration wants a nationalist definition of merit to protect American jobs, according to its National Security Strategy. The document warns, "Should merit be smothered, America’s historic advantages in science, technology, industry, defence and innovation will evaporate." But it also says America cannot open its labor market to "global talent" that hurts American workers. This new approach may leave the US weaker and more isolated as it rolls back decades of successful skilled immigration.