Summary
Donald Trump voiced strong support for the H-1B visa program, calling it “great” and highlighting its use at his properties, despite his administration’s prior efforts to restrict it, which were blocked in court.
His comments come during a MAGA debate over the program, with Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy supporting it as crucial for attracting global talent, while Laura Loomer and Steve Bannon argue that it harms American jobs.
Musk’s controversial online posts escalated tensions, sparking accusations of censorship against him by conservative critics.
H1-B exists to solve an imaginary problem of skills shortages among US engineers and programmers. The reality in the vast percentage of cases is that employers want skills that Americans have, at wages that Americans refuse to accept. That essential part of the program cannot be reformed, since it’s based on a lie. The remaining very small percent of positions where a bona fide skills shortage exists could be reformed by breaking the tie between the sponsoring employer and the visa, allowing the H1-B holder to change jobs to one where they’re paid a market rate. That would at least eliminate the use of H1-B holders as scab labor.
Source: I was a hiring manager in the software industry who recruited dozens of H1-B holders, and know all the scams and evasions used to “prove” that no suitable local candidate could be found.