Musk Pledges Support for H-1B Visa Program Despite Backlash

Elon Musk has expressed strong support for the H-1B visa program, promising to “go to war” to protect it. He attributes the program’s success to its role in attracting “critical” foreign-born, skilled professionals to the United States, claiming they have been integral to various industries.

“Take a big step back and [expletive],” Musk continued. “I will go to war on this issue like you cannot possibly comprehend.”

The ongoing discourse surrounding the H-1B program reflects broader debates regarding immigration policy and the competitiveness of the workforce, with critics contending that the program diminishes job opportunities for domestic workers, whereas proponents highlight its significance in fostering innovation and economic advancement.

During his first term, former President Donald Trump imposed limitations on foreign worker visas and criticized the H-1B program. However, his 2024 campaign hints at a potential change of stance, expressing the possibility of issuing H-1B visas or green cards to foreign students graduating from U.S. colleges.

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In recent days, Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who are collaborating to lead Trump’s newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), have both intensified their advocacy for U.S. companies to employ H-1B visa holders.

“Trump’s election hopefully marks the start of a new golden era in America, but only if our culture fully awakens,” Ramaswamy expressed on X. “A culture that once again values achievement over normalcy; excellence over mediocrity; nerdiness over conformity; hard work over laziness.”

The perspectives of Musk and Ramaswamy have garnered pushback from segments within Trump’s political base as well as from conservatives at large.

Nikki Haley, former U.N. ambassador and presidential candidate, also weighed in, criticizing Ramaswamy’s remarks and urging Trump to prioritize American workers over foreign talent.

Mark Krikorian, the executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, proposed that there could be commonality between tech industry leaders and immigration restrictionists concerning the H-1B visa program.

“Increasing the proportion of new immigrants selected based on their skills—a concept known as a ‘merit-based’ system—has been a longstanding objective of President Trump,” Krikorian noted, suggesting that an “obvious win-win” would be to abolish the visa lottery and categories associated with “chain migration,” reallocating approximately half of those visas to skilled roles.

“This would result in an increase both in the number and share of new immigrants chosen for their skills, along with a reduction in total immigration levels,” he argued.

The proposed legislation, which did not come to a vote in the Senate, aimed to cut legal immigration to the U.S. by 50 percent, replacing the current demand-driven framework with a merit-based points system that awards points based on education level, job offers, or extraordinary achievements like a Nobel Prize. Countries such as Canada and Australia operate under similar merit-based systems.

Other legislative efforts akin to RAISE have faltered in their progression.

Jacob Burg contributed to this report.