A rift has erupted within Donald Trump’s camp over visas for highly skilled workers, with new tech allies like Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy advocating for such immigration and the anti-immigration MAGA base opposing it. The conflict highlights the challenges of maintaining Trump’s coalition as his administration tackles immigration, a cornerstone of his 2024 campaign.
While President-elect Trump has pledged to curb illegal immigration at the southern border and initiate mass deportations, this debate focuses on legal immigration, revealing underlying anti-immigrant sentiment within some conservative circles.
A Controversial Appointment
The issue gained momentum when Trump announced the appointment of Sriram Krishnan as a White House policy adviser on artificial intelligence. Krishnan’s past suggestion to eliminate country caps on green cards and promote skilled immigration drew criticism. Far-right commentator Laura Loomer called his views “alarming,” claiming they would allow foreign workers to take jobs from American STEM graduates.
The H-1B visa program, which permits employers to hire high-skilled professionals, mostly in tech, became the center of the discussion. The program caps visas at 65,000 annually, with an additional 20,000 for those with advanced U.S. degrees. Critics within Trump’s base argue that the program undercuts American workers.
Racial Undertones
Some opposition to H-1B visas took on racist overtones, particularly targeting Indian immigrants. By law, no more than 7% of green cards can be issued to applicants from a single country annually, yet most pending applicants are Indian, who also make up 72% of H-1B visa recipients in 2023.
Amid the backlash, several tech industry leaders supporting Trump defended high-skilled immigration. Musk, a South African immigrant and former H-1B holder, argued on his platform X that there aren’t enough U.S.-born engineers to meet demand. “OF COURSE my companies and I would prefer to hire Americans and we DO,” he stated, “but there is a dire shortage of extremely talented and motivated engineers in America.”
Culture and Immigration Debate
Ramaswamy, co-chair of Trump’s “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) alongside Musk, previously criticized the H-1B program during his presidential campaign but shifted focus in this debate. He blamed American culture for the shortage of engineers, asserting, “American culture has venerated mediocrity over excellence for way too long,” citing examples from pop culture.
His remarks sparked criticism, including from former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who countered, “There is nothing wrong with American workers or American culture. We should be investing and prioritizing Americans, not foreign workers.”
Other tech figures, such as venture capitalists David Sacks and Joe Lonsdale, supported high-skilled immigration. Sacks defended Krishnan, emphasizing that his call to remove green card caps did not equate to eliminating all limits. “Supporting a limited number of highly skilled immigrants is still a prevalent view on the right,” Sacks remarked.
Lonsdale expressed a nuanced stance, opposing “low-end H1B immigrants” but advocating for attracting top talent globally.
Seeking Common Ground
Musk acknowledged flaws in the H-1B system, agreeing with a post describing it as a way to attract “brilliant engineers” while also being “poorly implemented and abused.” Sacks similarly sought to bridge the divide, affirming trust in Stephen Miller, incoming White House Deputy Chief for Policy, to handle immigration. “What I oppose is a baseless witch hunt against a highly qualified American for a role as AI adviser,” Sacks added.
The debate has exposed cracks in the newfound alignment between MAGA conservatives and Silicon Valley figures who rallied behind Trump. Musk, who contributed $250 million to Trump’s campaign, has become a prominent ally, earning the nickname “President Musk” for his influence. However, his stance on immigration has stirred opposition from within the conservative base.
Criticism from the MAGA Base
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, co-chair of a DOGE subcommittee, urged Americans to replace H-1B workers by seeking skilled jobs themselves. “Put down the selfie light and go apply for a job,” Greene posted on X, adding that American companies are eager to hire domestic workers.
Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, initially considered for Trump’s attorney general, criticized tech leaders’ involvement in immigration policy, writing, “We did not ask them to engineer an immigration policy.”
A Historical Perspective
Trump himself has largely stayed out of the current debate, focusing on unrelated topics on X. However, his past criticism of the H-1B program looms large. During his 2016 campaign, he condemned it as a tool to replace American workers with cheaper foreign labor. His first-term administration attempted to raise wage requirements for H-1B visas, but the initiative was blocked.
Bridging Divisions
Amid the infighting, Ramaswamy echoed Trump’s patriotic rhetoric, emphasizing the need to revive the “American spirit.” Stephen Miller also invoked Trump’s 2020 speech celebrating uniquely American achievements, such as the Wright brothers and Elvis Presley, suggesting the U.S. must continue fostering domestic talent.
While the Trump-Silicon Valley alliance has sparked optimism among some conservatives, the immigration debate reveals the challenges of uniting diverse factions within the movement. As the conversation continues, it remains to be seen how Trump’s administration will navigate these tensions while shaping its immigration policies.