4Chan Users Target Indian H-1B Travelers With “Operation Clog the Toilet”
The anonymous message board 4Chan, created in 2003, has long been known as a breeding ground for internet memes, edgy humor, and occasional extremist activity. Organised into topic-based boards and allowing posts without user accounts, it remains a space for both creative experimentation and controversy.
While the platform has been behind many viral trends, it also hosts coordinated pranks and harassment campaigns. One recent example is a disruptive effort aimed at Indian H-1B visa holders, which users nicknamed “Operation Clog the Toilet.”
How the Campaign Worked
Participants reportedly identified busy India–US flight routes and began reserving large numbers of airline seats without completing the purchase. By leaving the checkout page open for around 15 minutes and repeating the process, they temporarily locked seats, making it harder for genuine travelers to buy tickets and pushing up fares. According to Moneycontrol, one user even bragged about “locking 100 seats” to prevent Indians from returning to the United States before a rumored visa fee deadline.
H-1B Visa Context
The H-1B program allows U.S. employers to hire foreign specialists such as engineers, scientists, and software developers. Visas are issued for an initial three-year period and can be extended to a maximum of six years. Each year, roughly 85,000 H-1B visas are distributed through a lottery system, and Indian nationals consistently make up about three-quarters of the recipients.
White House Clarification
Concerns escalated after false claims spread online that the U.S. government planned to charge a $100,000 re-entry fee for current H-1B holders. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later clarified on X that the proposed fee applied only to new visa applications and would not affect current holders or renewals. Despite the clarification, the online campaign had already created confusion, inflated ticket prices, and disrupted travel for many Indian professionals.