Are there any Consequences of Filing NIE On H1B

My Visa Petition got approved in November 2020. My current employer says, US Embassy is not processing any new H1B requests. My employer is afraid of filing the NIE for employees. They say that there may be some consequences from US embassy like blacklisting of the employer.

Are there any updates on this. Has anyone got visa approval without NIE in past few weeks ?

Anyone except F1 need NIE approval. Applying for NIE do not have any consequences whatsoever. This is just a request from the applicant and based on the justification provided and the qualificatio, NIE may or may not be granted.

https://in.usembassy.gov/visas/national-interest-exception-frequently-asked-questions/