NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Washington, DC, December 30, 2024: President-elect Donald Trump has expressed his support for the H-1B visa program, aligning himself with tech leaders like Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) co-head Vivek Ramaswamy, who have long advocated for it. The H-1B visa allows U.S. companies to hire skilled workers from other countries, particularly in fields like technology and engineering.
Trump recently acknowledged the program’s importance during an interview with the Post, stating, “I’ve always liked the visas, I have always been in favor of the visas. That’s why we have them.” This marks a notable shift from his earlier stance during the 2016 campaign when he criticized the program for allegedly taking jobs from American workers. In 2017, Trump signed the “Buy American, Hire American” executive order, aimed at tightening H-1B visa rules to prioritize higher-skilled, higher-paid workers.
Some of Trump’s supporters argue that the program undercuts American workers, while others, including Musk, emphasize its role in maintaining America’s leadership in innovation.
Musk, who benefited from the H-1B program himself, has been vocal about its importance in attracting global talent. In a recent post, Musk wrote, “Anyone – of any race, creed or nationality – who came to America and worked like hell to contribute to this country will forever have my respect. America is the land of freedom and opportunity. Fight with every fiber of your being to keep it that way!”
In a later comment, Musk, however, addressed concerns that H-1B visas are being used to hire low-wage programmers and developers, suggesting reforms to ensure fair wages. “Easily fixed by raising the minimum salary significantly and adding a yearly cost for maintaining the H1B, making it materially more expensive to hire from overseas than domestically,” Musk wrote.
Trump’s appointment of Indian-American entrepreneur Sriram Krishnan as Senior Policy Advisor for Artificial Intelligence has triggered a racist backlash from some far-right supporters. Critics like activist Laura Loomer have targeted Krishnan for his Indian origin, accusing him of supporting policies that would remove green card caps, allegedly threatening jobs for American STEM graduates. Despite these criticisms, Krishnan has received strong support from prominent figures.
Silicon Valley entrepreneur David Sacks defended him, pointing out that Krishnan has been a U.S. citizen for over a decade and that his role focuses solely on AI policy, not immigration. “Sriram has been a U.S. citizen for a decade. He’s not ‘running America.’ He’s advising on A.I. policy,” Sacks clarified. Congressman Ro Khanna also spoke out in Krishnan’s defense, highlighting his success as a symbol of American exceptionalism. “It’s GREAT that talent from around the world wants to come here, not to China, and that Sriram can rise to the highest levels,” Khanna remarked.
Cover photo of Trump: Gage Skidmore, Creative Commons. Graphic designed by NRI Pulse.
