WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President-elect Donald Trump appears to be aligning himself with Elon Musk and other figures in the technology sector amidst an ongoing debate regarding immigration visas that has caused rifts within his supporter base.
In a recent interview with the New York Post, Trump expressed his approval for utilizing visas to attract skilled foreign workers to the United States. This discussion has ignited considerable contention among his conservative supporters.
“I’ve always liked the visas; I’ve always been in favor of the visas. That’s why we have them,” Trump stated during the interview.
Historically, Trump has not held back from lambasting the H-1B visa program, describing it as “very bad” and “unfair” to American laborers. During his tenure as president, he introduced a “Hire American” initiative that aimed to modify the visa program to ensure that those issued visas were among the highest-paid or most qualified individuals.
Despite his previous criticisms and efforts to limit the program, Trump acknowledged that he has utilized H-1B visas in his own business operations. “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,” he remarked during the newspaper interview.
However, Trump did not provide any information about whether he intends to alter the number or implementation of these visas after assuming office on January 20.
Trump’s stringent immigration policies primarily targeted undocumented immigrants and were a foundational aspect of his presidential campaign, resonating strongly with his supporters. Yet, in recent days, his coalition has been publicly divided over the technology sector’s engagement with foreign labor, largely as a result of discussions taking place online.
Members of the far-right faction within Trump’s base have criticized Musk and others who align with Trump in the tech industry for advocating policies that conflict with Trump’s “America First” ideology. Advocates from the tech sector argue that H-1B visas are essential for filling difficult-to-fill roles and are vital to their businesses. Meanwhile, detractors contend that these visas undermine job opportunities for American citizens. Some factions on the right have even called for outright elimination of the visa program.
