A recent viral social media post from Bengaluru has sparked widespread discussion online, as debates around migration and the H1B visa programme continue to make headlines in both India and the United States.
The post questions the widely held belief that migrants are responsible for building successful cities and nations. It draws a comparison between the United States and Bengaluru, stating:
"Migrants didn't make America great. America was already great, which is why migrants moved there in search of a better life. Migrants didn't make Bengaluru great. Bengaluru was already great, which is why migrants moved there in search of a better life."
Migrants didn't make America great. America was already great, which is why migrants moved there in search of a better life.
— Amarnath Shivashankar (@Amara_Bengaluru) September 22, 2025
Migrants didn't make Bengaluru great. Bengaluru was already great, which is why migrants moved there in search of a better life.
This statement has led to a wave of mixed reactions on social media. While some users agree with the message, saying it highlights the existing strengths of Bengaluru and the US, others argue that migrants have played a key role in shaping the growth and success of both places. The post continues to fuel debate over the role of migrants in urban development and national progress.
"Without migrants, America is just land; innovation disappears with them. Without migrants, Bengaluru is just climate; IT vanishes with them. Of course, traffic and mosquitoes were thriving long before IT folks showed up," commented a user.
"This logic works both ways; America and Bangalore were ridden with problems even before anyone migrated, so stop cribbing. The concept of migration doesn't work for someone within India, as everyone here has equal rights to settle anywhere, however much you dislike someone," wrote another user.
"I was born and brought up in Bengaluru. The city's real development surged only after 2003. Similarly, America before European immigrants was like a large, mostly uninhabited shark island with just a few Native Americans," commented a third user.
