US Senator Eric Schmitt has received backlash online after he mentioned Hyderabad's famous Chilkur Balaji Temple while criticising US' H-1B visa system and employment-based immigration programmes. In a post on X, Schmitt wrote, "The 'Visa Cartel' has its own 'Visa Temple' in Hyderabad, which sees thousands of Indians circling altars and getting passports blessed for US work visas."