Why are US Republicans debating the future of H-1B high-skilled work visas? | Business and economic news

Discussion about what form is Harsh immigration policies A major political row over highly skilled work visas has become the first major political dispute between prominent supporters of US President-elect Donald Trump – just weeks before the Republican Party’s new presidential term.

On the one hand are members of Trump’s so-called “Make America Great Again” movement, or MAGA, who have called for crackdowns on highly skilled workers. H-1B visas As part of the president-elect’s broader pledge to tighten immigration and migration.

Trump’s campaign pledges focused specifically on the US-Mexico border, although he has introduced other restrictions.

In the other camp are prominent Trump supporters — including tech billionaire Elon Musk — who have defended the visas as essential for industrial and economic growth in the United States.

Here’s what you should know.

How did this start?

The latest controversy erupted when Laura Loomer, a far-right figure who has had close ties to Trump in the past, took to social media to criticize the president-elect’s choice of an artificial intelligence advisor, who argued that the United States needs more foreigners. Skilled workers to remain competitive in technology industries.

Several prominent figures in the tech industry quickly seized on Loomer’s criticism, who has been accused of racism and spreading conspiracy theories in the past.

This included SpaceX and Tesla CEO Musk, whom Trump appointed to lead a government advisory board on efficiency management.

In response, Loomer accused tech billionaires of influencing Trump for their own gain.

“We have to protect President Trump from the technocrats,” Loomer said in a December 25 X post.

Who gets H-1B visas?

H-1B visas are typically reserved for professional foreign workers with a bachelor’s degree or higher who have been offered a temporary job that pays an industry-standard wage in the United States.

US authorities can issue 65,000 new H-1B visas annually, with the potential for an additional 20,000 visas for people with master’s degrees.

Visas can also be extended when they expire, with more than 309,000 people approved to continue working in fiscal year 2022, according to USCIS.

About 70 percent of H-1B visa recipients are from India and another 10 percent are from China.

What do Musk and other H-1B advocates say?

Musk said that “the number of people who are highly talented, highly motivated engineers in the United States is very low” and described the H-1B program as critical “for those who want America to win.”

In a series of posts on X, which he also owns, Musk also vowed to “go to war on this issue.”

Vivek Ramaswamy, a former presidential candidate who was tapped to serve alongside Musk on the government’s Efficiency Council, has criticized the program as “deeply dysfunctional,” but does not support its complete removal, instead saying visas should be awarded on merit.

Ramaswamy drew the wrath of the hardline anti-immigration faction of Trump supporters after he posted on social media on Thursday that tech companies were hiring immigrants because “American culture has honored mediocrity at the expense of excellence for too long.”

“A culture that celebrates the prom queen over the Math Olympiad champion, or the athlete over the valedictorian, will not produce the best engineers,” he wrote.

What about Trump?

Trump commented on the issue for the first time on Saturday.

“I have several H-1B visas on my property,” he told the New York Post. I was a believer in the H-1B.

“I’ve used it many times,” he said, referring to his own real estate projects. “It’s a great program.”

But the statements were a departure for the president-elect.

In the past, he has criticized visas as “very poor” and “unfair” to American workers, and his administration sought to increase barriers for applicants during his first term.

Why does this matter?

The pushback highlights a growing fault line between many of Trump’s early supporters and those like Musk who have only embraced him on the 2024 election campaign. Many of these — like Musk — are tied to the tech industry, and are less likely to amplify anti-immigrant rhetoric.

The infighting could impact the next four years of Trump’s presidency, with Musk already warning of a “MAGA civil war” over the issue.

Many of Trump’s most prominent supporters have joined during his first term, with strategist Steve Bannon condemning the “few big tech companies” who support visas.