Nirav Sheth, the Ahmedabad-born Republican candidate challenging Indian American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal in Washington's 7th Congressional District, has voiced support for the suspension of Microsoft's green card sponsorship — even as thousands of Indian-origin tech workers employed by the company live and work within his own district. The remarks came in an interview eight days before the 3 November midterm elections.

Sheth's Stance on the Microsoft Green Card Freeze

Sheth said he supports the decision by President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance to suspend Microsoft's green card sponsorship programme. He argued that third-party recruiting agencies were 'abusing the immigration system', allowing some individuals to exploit 'loopholes' to secure green cards faster than professionals who had waited 10 to 15 years through legitimate channels.

'The immigration fraud is the major concern right now,' Sheth said, describing current policies as 'a tip of the iceberg.' When asked directly whether firms such as Microsoft, Adobe, or Infosys were engaged in fraud, he declined to comment, citing an ongoing investigation. 'I will not give a statement which gonna scrutinize either policy itself or the company,' he said.

The Case for a Separate Tech Worker Quota

Despite backing the freeze, Sheth simultaneously argued that the green card backlog confronting Indian tech professionals demands 'a complete overhaul.' He proposed a dedicated green card quota specifically for high-skilled professionals directly employed by large technology companies — naming Microsoft, Adobe, and Facebook as examples — rather than those placed through third-party staffing agencies.

He suggested that workers who have been in the United States for five to ten years or more deserve priority. If elected, he said he would push for direct dealings between the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and employers, cutting out intermediaries. On lifting the per-country cap, he said it 'can be doable,' adding: 'We must not punish the hardworking legal professionals who play by every rule.'

Candid About His Chances

Sheth was unusually candid about his electoral prospects. Having secured 10.6% of the vote in the August primary, he set a realistic target of roughly 20% in November and openly acknowledged he does not expect to win this cycle. 'I know I'm not gonna win, I know that,' he said, framing the run as a longer campaign to 'spread the message' ahead of a planned rematch in two years.

Jayapal, who was born in Chennai, captured approximately 84% of the primary vote. Sheth declined to echo some Indian Americans who label her anti-India, but went further in another direction: 'I will not say she's anti-Indian… She's anti-American, and I can confirm that.' He accused her of neglecting local issues — homelessness, drug overdoses, crime, and struggling small businesses in Seattle — in favour of national politics centred on Trump. He noted that he had shut his own Italian restaurant the previous year 'due to the break-ins and other stuff.'

Background: A Veteran, Officer, and Small-Business Owner

Sheth arrived in the United States as a student in 2008, studied in Orlando and at the University of Massachusetts, and joined the US Marine Corps in 2011 — the route through which he obtained citizenship. He subsequently served as a police officer in Washington state before resigning due to hearing loss. He now owns five businesses, including auto repair centres and a credit card processing firm.

Sheth also criticised Washington state's Climate Commitment Act, which he claimed adds '$1.27 extra tax the state charges on each gallon of gas.' On Trump's second term, he said 'the economy is thriving' but flagged fuel prices and the conflict with Iran as concerns. On India-US ties, he said it would be 'interesting to see' how the relationship develops.

Broader Context: Indian Americans and the Immigration Debate

Sheth's candidacy sits at an unusual intersection: an Indian-born immigrant running on a platform that includes restricting the very immigration pathways many of his co-ethnics depend on. This comes amid a wider national debate over H-1B visas, per-country green card caps, and the role of large staffing firms in the US immigration pipeline. Notably, Sheth cited Jayapal's post on X about the H-1B crackdown on Microsoft as the only instance of her engaging with the Indian American community — a characterisation Jayapal's office has not publicly responded to. He also claimed that Indian voters, particularly Punjabi and Gujarati residents in Kent, Washington, are shifting toward Republican voting — a trend that, if real, could have implications well beyond this single race.