"Dire shortage": Elon Musk sparks MAGA backlash after calling for more immigrant workers

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6. A MAGA 'Civil War' on X between Musk and the far right over H-1B visas

Far-right activists clashed online with billionaire Elon Musk and other supporters of President-elect Donald Trump over the need for a skilled-worker immigration program that has long been a lifeblood for Silicon Valley — signifying a potential rift between Trump’s core nationalist base and technology executives who have come to support him.

The fight that spilled into public view over the holiday week could preview a wedge within Trump’s coalition over how to execute immigration policy, an issue that animated Trump’s White House campaign.

The controversy spread across X after far-right activist Laura Loomer on Monday criticized Trump’s choice to name Sriram Krishnan, a technology entrepreneur and investor who was born in India, as his senior policy adviser on artificial intelligence. She pointed to Krishnan’s previous support for removing some caps on green cards and easing the ability of skilled foreign workers to come to the United States. The policy is “in direct opposition” to Trump’s agenda, Loomer wrote.

The critique sparked a broader debate about immigration in the tech industry, which relies heavily on a program that allows foreigners with technical skills to work in the United States temporarily under H-1B nonimmigrant status. It ran headlong into tension with some of Trump’s closest advisers, notably Tesla and SpaceX CEO Musk; David Sacks who will be the president-elect’s AI and crypto czar; and Vivek Ramaswamy, who will co-lead a commission to cut government spending.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/12/27/h-1b-visas-elon-musk-trump-immigration/