Summary
Senator Bernie Sanders criticized Elon Musk over his support for the H-1B visa program, calling it a tool for corporations to replace good-paying American jobs with lower-wage foreign labor.
Sanders cited data showing U.S. companies laid off 85,000 American workers between 2022 and 2023 while hiring 34,000 H-1B visa holders, arguing this undermines U.S. competitiveness.
Musk, who credits the visa program for his success, defended it, stating he’s ready to “go to war” over the issue.
The debate has divided MAGA conservatives, exposing rifts within Trump’s coalition.
Is anyone middle class anymore? I mean like doctors and lawyers sure, but for the average worker it’s out of reach.
Tech workers are one of the few groups that can get a 4 year degree, work hard and be able to afford a house, health insurance, a few cars, annual vacations, education for their kids and have a decent retirement. Granted, it’s not all of tech and it isn’t guaranteed, but it’s fucked that everyone who works can’t get this basic shit (car as basic shit is debatable but much of the US is designed around cars). But Phony Stark is desperate to knock the techies down a peg or two because I guess he needs more money to fund his king of mars fantasy? What a fucking dick.
He’s intentionally reducing the opportunities for well-paid work in the country. What an asshole. The whole immigration process needs to be streamlined so people don’t even need to deal with this H1B indentured servitude bullshit.
Visas being tied to an employer and getting only 1-3 months to get a new job if you get laid off is fucking awful. If we had the same number of tech workers here on visas but they had real mobility then it would be an entirely different story.
And to add insult to injury, Elmo didn’t even follow the visa rules when he started in the US. If he weren’t a billionaire he could legit get deported for breaking immigration laws in the past.
A tale as old as time. Or at least the past 50 years. Undocumented immigrant gets legal, turns and hates undocumented immigrants.