Elon Musk Claims H-1B Visa Framework IsFlawed, Will Engage In Battle, Assurance
Elon Musk, along with Indian-American technology entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, has recently found himself at odds with Donald Trump supporters regarding immigration matters.
Shortly after pledging to "engage in battle" to uphold H-1B visas, tech magnate Elon Musk declared on Sunday that the current system utilized to attract skilled international workers to the United States is "flawed" and requires "substantial reform". Mr. Musk and Mr. Ramaswamy, both poised to join the incoming Trump administration, have shown their support for the H-1B initiative.
In a post on X, the social media platform he owns, Musk, who migrated from South Africa under an H-1B visa himself, expressed that he has "made it very clear" that the H-1B program is "flawed" and "requires significant reform".
His remarks came in response to a commenter asserting that the US must become a hub for the "world’s most elite talent", but that the H-1B program "isn’t the solution to achieve that". Musk suggested it could be "readily corrected" by substantially increasing the minimum salary and introducing an annual fee for maintaining the H-1B, effectively making it "significantly more costly to recruit from abroad than from within the country".
Just last week, Musk stated that attracting top engineering talent from overseas is "crucial for America to continue succeeding."
Likewise, Ramaswamy, whose parents are Indian immigrants, echoed Musk’s perspective. He contended that American culture has traditionally prioritized "mediocrity over greatness".
"A culture that prizes the prom queen more than the math olympiad champion... will fail to cultivate the leading engineers," he commented on X.
Dispute Regarding H-1B Visas
The H-1B visa discourse was sparked following criticism from right-wing influencer Laura Loomer of Donald Trump’s appointment of Indian-American entrepreneur Sriram Krishnan as an advisor on artificial intelligence policy in his forthcoming administration.
Loomer, along with extreme right figures such as Ann Coulter and former Congressman Matt Gaetz, accused Musk and Ramaswamy of weakening the position of American workers.
A widely shared post on X labeled Krishnan as an "India First" agent whose mission was to "displace American laborers."
"Anticipating the inevitable split between President Trump and Big Tech," Loomer, known for her conspiracy theories and MAGA affiliation, stated.
"It is imperative to safeguard President Trump from the technocrats," she added.
In response to his detractors, Musk retaliated and cautioned of a "MAGA civil conflict."
He also unleashed a curse at one opponent, declaring, "I am prepared to go to war over this matter."
Trump Supports Musk In H-1B Visa Controversy
Donald Trump has expressed his support for Elon Musk in a public confrontation regarding the application of the H-1B visa, asserting his complete endorsement of the program for foreign technology workers, which some of his supporters oppose.
Trump, who sought to restrict the utilization of visas during his initial term as president, informed The New York Post on Saturday that he too supported the visa program.
