H-1B Visa System "Broken" says Elon Musk, clashes with Trump supporters.

Elon Musk Criticizes 'Broken' H-1B Visa System, Sparks Debate with Trump Supporters

Written by: Supriya Kadu

Edited by: Pinky Deshmukh

Last Updated: December 30, 2024

Summary: Elon Mush and Vivek Ramaswamy clashed with the supporters of Donald trump on H-1B visas.

Elon Musk, a tech entrepreneur, declared on Sunday that the H-1B visa system, which is used to bring qualified foreign workers to the US, is "broken" and requires a "major reform" after pledging to "go to war" to defend it.

Supporters of US President-elect Donald Trump have recently clashed with Mr. Musk and Indian-American tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy over immigration.

The H-1B visa program has been supported by Mr. Musk and Mr. Ramaswamy, who will be joining the upcoming Trump administration.

Mr. Musk stated that he has "been very clear" that the program is "broken" and "needs major reform" in a post on his social media platform, X. He was answering a user who claimed that the H-1B program "isn't the way to do that" and that the US should be a destination for the "world's most elite talent."

According to Elon Musk, who immigrated from South Africa on an H-1 B, the system could be "easily fixed" by substantially raising the minimum wage and imposing an annual maintenance fee for the H-1B, making it "materially more expensive to hire from overseas than domestically."

Amid the immigration issue, many of Donald Trump's followers have been advocating more and more for the elimination of the H-1B visa program. After Trump appointed Indian-American businessman Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy for his incoming cabinet, is when the issue erupted.

In a public controversy over the usage of the H-1B visa, Donald Trump, however, on Saturday, sided with Elon Musk, a billionaire tech CEO and a key supporter, claiming that he entirely backs the program for foreign tech workers, despite objections from some of his supporters.

Trump told the New York Post on Saturday that he was also in favor of the visa program, although having pushed to restrict its usage during his first term in office.

He said, quote, “I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I’ve been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It’s a great program.”

Critics claim that the US tech industry undercuts American residents' wages by using foreign trained workers to assist manage its businesses under the government's H-1B visa program.