U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has thrown his weight behind billionaire tech leader Elon Musk in a heated debate over the H-1B visa program that allows the hiring of foreign tech workers. This marks a departure from Trump's stance on immigration earlier in his first presidency. 

Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, had ruffled feathers recently by publicly voicing support for the visa program, going as far as saying he would “go to war” to protect it. Trump’s statement in a recent interview with The New York Post has also added to the discourse on immigration and the role of foreign skilled workers in the U.S. 

“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,” Trump said.

The Debate Over Skilled Immigration

The H-1B visa program permits U.S. companies to hire foreign workers with some form of specialized skills, typically in the tech sector. Supporters say these workers are necessary to maintain the country's competitive edge in technology. However, opponents disagree, saying it hurts wages and opportunities for American workers. 

Musk, a naturalized U.S. citizen who is originally from South Africa, had once held an H-1B visa himself. In 2024 alone, his company, Tesla, obtained 724 H-1B visas. Tech leaders like Musk say that the U.S. does not produce enough highly skilled graduates to meet the tech industry's demand. 

“The reason I’m in America along with so many critical people who built SpaceX, Tesla and hundreds of other companies that made America strong is because of H1B,” Musk said.

However, the dispute became more heated when Trump hired Sriram Krishnan, an Indian American venture capitalist, as an adviser on artificial intelligence. Opponents to the appointment included far-right activists who say it could affect immigration policies. 

Divided Opinions 

Interestingly, Steve Bannon, a Trump ally, attacked Musk and other tech leaders, saying “big tech oligarchs” are working against American workers and sovereignty through H-1B support. Musk differentiated between legal immigration, which he strongly supports, and illegal immigration, which he opposes. 

Immigration was a central theme of Trump’s recent election win over Vice President Kamala Harris. Even as he continues to press for stricter controls on illegal immigration, his endorsement of H-1B visas suggests another, slightly more nuanced position for legal immigration, particularly for skilled employees. 

Now that Musk and Trump have aligned on this issue, the debate over the future of the H-1B program will continue as a focus of US policy discussions, especially as the tech sector increasingly depends on the talent from around the globe to fuel innovation.