Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevi
An online debate has erupted among factions of Donald Trump’s supporters regarding the immigration visa program, revealing internal divisions within his political coalition. This conflict has intensified following Trump’s recent comments expressing support for the H-1B visa program, which allows foreign workers to fill specialized jobs in the United States.
During his 2016 campaign, Trump labeled the H-1B visa program as “very bad” and “unfair” to American workers. However, he has recently shifted his stance, stating, “I’ve always liked the visas, I have always been in favor of the visas. That’s why we have them” in an interview with The New York Post. He further emphasized his support by saying, “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”.
This change in rhetoric comes as Trump prepares for his 2024 presidential campaign, where immigration remains a central theme. He has previously promised to conduct the largest deportation initiative in U.S. history and has referred to undocumented immigrants as “poisoning the blood of our country.” Yet, he also indicated a willingness to grant automatic green cards to international students graduating from U.S. universities, stating on the “All-In” podcast, “I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country” .
The backlash from his MAGA base is palpable, with some accusing tech industry allies like Elon Musk of advocating for policies that contradict Trump’s “America First” ideology. This rift highlights the tensions between Trump’s traditional supporters and the wealthy members of the tech world who favor more liberal immigration policies.
As Trump navigates these conflicting pressures from his base and tech industry allies, it remains to be seen how he will reconcile these divergent views once he assumes office on January 20.
Sources:
[1] https://apnews.com/article/trump-maga-immigration-visas-musk-40b78d2b413aa473e31ca063e4dd5fa8
[2] https://apnews.com/article/trump-maga-immigration-visas-musk-91ab17e141cc9764fb18b8bc862c84dc
[3] https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2024-12-31/its-musk-vs-maga-on-immigrant-worker-visas-what-will-trump-do-on-the-h-1b
[4] https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2024/1227/trump-musk-maga-immigration-h1b-visas
[5] https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/WC193
[6] https://spcollege.libguides.com/c.php?g=254319&p=1695316
[7] https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-write-quote-research-news-story-richard-berks
[8] https://6abc.com/post/donald-trump-visas-president-elect-defends-h1b-visa-program-siding-elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-amid-maga-backlash/15723792/
[9] https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/30/politics/trump-musk-h1b-visa-analysis/index.html
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