Democrat Ethan Aggarwal urged President Donald Trump to review sanctions on Iranian students.
Silicon Valley entrepreneur Ethan Agarwal, who is running for Congress in California-17 as a challenger to Ro Khanna in the Dem primary, urged President Donald Trump to reconsider his immigration ban on Iran as it would force thousands of Iranian students who will graduate in May this year to move out of the US. These students are now on F-1 visas, but since the US has halted all immigration processes to Iran, these students will not be able to enroll for the OPT, STEM OPT or H-1B visa programs until the moratorium is lifted. Aggarwal wrote, “These are young people who want to contribute to America; who are in school at places like Berkeley, Santa Clara University, and Stanford. Without restraints, they must return to Iran in 60 days. We want these young, talented people to live and work in America, pay taxes in America, and create jobs here.”“While USCIS explores the broader timing and implications of lifting the moratorium against affected immigrants, we request that the moratorium be lifted specifically for students graduating in 2026,” he said. Agarwal also shared a letter from a group of Iranian students, which said they have never had any connection with the Islamic Republic. He said that he wants to be given a fair review based on all the security protocols of America and then he should be allowed to stay in America. But the ban means they will not be allowed to stay in the US after they graduate from their colleges.Criticizing Agarwal, one wrote, “I don’t know who chose this idiot to represent the Iranians; many of the F-1 students at Stanford, Berkeley, and CA-17 (Google, Apple, etc.) in Silicon Valley are agents or assets of the regime. Please use extreme caution and keep checking.”Ethan took his stand and said he was advocating for screening all students and deporting those the State Department deems harmful to the United States. Another criticism stated, “Here we have another ambitious American politician advocating not for American citizens but for American citizens. He could be fighting for American students and workers, instead he is fighting against them.”
Who is Ethan Agarwal?
Ethan Agarwal, 40, is a tech entrepreneur best known for founding digital fitness company Aptiv and co-founding fintech firm The Coterie. Born in 1985 in Montreal, Canada, he was raised in Los Gatos, California. His father, Vinod K Agarwal, was a computer engineering professor and later founded LogicVision, a semiconductor company.Agarwal started his career in finance, working at firms such as Lehman Brothers, LionEye Capital and McKinsey & Company before turning to entrepreneurship. In 2015, he founded Aptiv, an audio-based fitness app that grew rapidly, attracting investment from major companies such as Amazon and Disney and reaching over one million users globally. He later stepped down as CEO following the company’s acquisition and in 2021 co-founded The Coterie, a financial technology company focused on investment access and wealth management.In 2025, Agarwal entered politics by announcing his candidacy for Governor of California as a Democrat. He has described himself as a “pro-capitalist” or market-oriented Democrat, emphasizing business-driven solutions to economic, infrastructure, and policy challenges. His campaign reflects a broader trend of tech entrepreneurs entering politics, aiming to apply private sector experience to governance.