Kamal Ghorui
Texas has become the epicentre of the anti-immigrant fire raging through the United States of America. From influencers to local residents, many have been expressing concerns around immigration policies and the perceived impact of H-1B visa programmes on American jobs and communities. In some instances, this sentiment has extended to criticism of Indian-American communities and, in certain cases, targeted scrutiny.Recently, Turning Point USA correspondent Savannah Hernandez shared a video on X (formerly Twitter) where she went inside the Karya Siddhi Hanuman temple in Frisco, Texas. “I kept hearing about how massive the Indian population is in North Texas so I went to go check it out for myself. Found a 72-foot tall Hindu temple, built in honour of a monkey-god, where inside people were praying for blessings for “job visas”” she wrote in the caption. In the video, Hernandez claimed she had been hearing from a lot of Texans about the “changing” culture and demographic in northern Texas. She described the temple as “very large” and “intricate”, noting that it was located within a residential area, something people would not expect.She also pointed out common temple practices, such as removing footwear before entering, which resulted in a number of visitors walking barefoot in the premises. She observed that devotees were worshipping multiple deities, which is typical in Hindu places of worship.“What stuck out to me was the area where people were going to pray for blessings of health and work visas,” she said while recounting how the demographic of the area had changed in the past years. “So this is the way the culture has been changing over here. There are multiple Hindu temples in the Fort-Worth area. On top of that, you have a baseball field that has been converted into a cricket field,” she claimed. Overlooking some men playing cricket in the nearby field, Hernandez said it was the first time she had ever seen that in Texas and also recounted how Holi had been celebrated in the city. She ended the video by calling it “pretty crazy” to see such a large and intricate temple in the middle of a residential neighbourhood. The Frontline TPUSA reporter’s video gained massive fame online, inciting the anti-Indian netizens to rage on the community and call for their deportation. “We must be confident enough in our own culture and religion to say no. Americans are better, Christianity is better, we must send foreigners home along with their false demons,” wrote one user on X. “Texas is being conquered by both Muslims AND Indians thanks to the Texas GOP. An explosion of mosques and now an Indian temple honouring a monkey god. This literally looks like you’re in a foreign country but it’s Texas…. Immigration is destroying America” claimed another.Hernandez’s video also received massive criticism online as she ventured into a religious space to report for her anti-Indian agenda. “Ms. Hernandez, please work on illegal immigrants from your culture raping and robbing people in Texas rather than hard-working & law abiding successful Indians contributing to the economy keeping people like you employed,” slammed one user on X. “I am not sure that ‘Savanah Hernandez’ is aware that white right-wingers don’t consider her to be white, American, or welcome” added another. Since January 2026, Frisco, Texas, has witnessed growing tensions around immigration and demographic change. Discussions at city council meetings and debates online have increasingly centred on these issues, at times leading to polarised viewpoints.Recently, BlazeTV host Sara Gonzalez also drew attention after sharing a video criticising an Indian H-1B visa holder in the area, alleging visa-related irregularities. The incident further contributed to the ongoing and often contentious discourse surrounding immigration in the region.The episode also fits into a broader pattern of rising hostility towards Indian-Americans in recent months. Reports have pointed to a sharp escalation in anti-Indian rhetoric across the United States, driven largely by debates around H-1B visas and immigration. Between 2023 and 2025, online hate targeting Indians and South Asians reportedly rose by over 100%, with discourse increasingly shifting from policy concerns to racialised narratives. In Texas, Frisco has emerged as a flashpoint, with city council meetings repeatedly dominated by claims of an “Indian takeover” and unverified allegations of visa fraud, often amplified by political influencers and activists. Community groups have warned of coordinated campaigns, rising harassment, and even instances of temple vandalism, reflecting how economic anxieties and demographic changes are increasingly being reframed into cultural and racial tensions.
