Elon Musk, the billionaire founder of Tesla, SpaceX, and X, has waded into the contentious debate over the H-1B visa programme, which allows skilled immigrants, particularly from India, to work in the United States. Musk, a close ally of President-elect Donald Trump, has expressed his strong support for the visa, stating he would “go to war” on the issue.
His comments, made during a public discussion on Saturday, come amidst growing criticism from right-wing factions about the H-1B visa’s impact on US workers.
Musk’s remarks come at a time when the US is embroiled in a debate over skilled immigration. The tech mogul, who himself entered the country on an H-1B visa, argued that the programme has been vital for the success of companies like SpaceX and Tesla.
He also slammed critics, urging them to “take a big step back” and accusing them of misunderstanding the importance of the programme for the US economy.
Musk’s outspoken stance on the issue has amplified after Sriram Krishnan, an adviser to the Trump administration on artificial intelligence policy, expressed support for expanding skilled immigration under the H-1B programme. Krishnan had said in November, “Anything to remove country caps for green cards / unlock skilled immigration would be huge.”
Krishnan’s comments have sparked backlash from right-wing figures, including Laura Loomer, who argued that such policies go against the “America First” agenda.
Musk, Krishnan, and tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who is also associated with Trump’s administration, have defended the H-1B programme, emphasising the shortage of engineering talent in the US. They argue that the country needs skilled workers to fill critical roles in the tech sector. However, conservative critics contend that the programme undermines US workers, with some even calling for its abolition.
His remarks were met with criticism from fellow conservatives. Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley rejected Ramaswamy’s comments, stating that there is “nothing wrong with American workers or American culture.”
“All you have to do is look at the border and see how many want what we have,” she wrote on X. “We should be investing and prioritizing in Americans, not foreign workers,” she added.