Days after pledging to “go to war” to protect H-1B visas, tech billionaire Elon Musk on Sunday said he would not be able to protect H-1B visas, a system used to bring skilled foreign workers to the United States. He said it was “broken” and needed “major reforms”. .
Musk and Indian-American tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy recently clashed with supporters of President-elect Donald Trump over immigration.
Musk and Ramaswamy, who will be part of the incoming Trump administration, support the H-1B visa program.
Musk said in a post on his social media site X that he has been “very clear” that the program is “broken” and “needs major reform.” . He was responding to a user’s comment that the U.S. needs to be a destination for “the world’s most elite talent” and that the H-1B program is “not the way to do that.”
Musk, who himself immigrated from South Africa on an H-1B, said the system “can be easily modified” by significantly increasing the minimum wage and adding annual maintenance fees for H-1Bs, which would “significantly reduce employment costs.” It’s going to be expensive.” From abroad rather than domestically.”
Easily fixed by significantly raising the minimum wage and adding in the annual cost of maintaining an H1B, making it effectively more expensive to hire from abroad than domestically.
I have been very clear that this program is broken and in need of major reform.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 29, 2024
Musk said last week that attracting elite engineering talent from overseas is “essential to America continuing to win.”
Ramaswamy, the son of Indian immigrants, echoed Musk’s sentiments. He argued that American culture has long celebrated “mediocrity over excellence.”
“A culture that celebrates prom queens more than math olympiad champions doesn’t produce the best engineers,” he posted on X.
Debate over H-1B visas
Many of Donald Trump’s supporters are increasingly calling for an end to the H-1B visa program amid the immigration debate. The issue intensified after President Trump selected Indian-American entrepreneur Sriram Krishnan to advise the incoming administration on artificial intelligence policy.
Right-wing influencer Laura Loomer joined far-right figures such as Ann Coulter and former Congressman Matt Gaetz in criticizing Trump’s election.
She accused Musk and Ramaswamy of undermining American workers.
One viral post about X accused Mr. Krishnan of being an “India First” operative aiming to “replace American workers.”
MAGA Loomer, known for his conspiracy theories, said he was “looking forward to the inevitable divorce between President Trump and Big Tech.”
“We have to protect President Trump from the technocrats,” she said.
Musk hit back at his critics, warning of a “MAGA civil war.”
He also vowed to one critic: “We’re going to go to war on this issue.”
President Trump supports Musk in H-1B visa debate
Donald Trump has sided with Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswami in a public debate over the use of H-1B visas for foreign tech workers, which some supporters oppose. He said he fully supports the program.
Trump, who moved to restrict visa use as president, told the New York Post on Saturday that he supports a similar visa system.
“I have a lot of H-1B visas on my property. I believe in H-1B. I’ve used it many times. It’s a great program,” he was quoted as saying.
