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MAGA media are clashing with each other on the issue of H-1B visas

Written by Chloe Simon

Research contributions from Alex Kaplan

Published

After President-elect Donald Trump selected venture capitalist Sriram Krishnan as his senior policy adviser for artificial intelligence in December and Trump ally Laura Loomer publicly criticized Krishnan for his position on immigration, an intense debate erupted in MAGA world over the H-1B visa program. Some right-wing media figures defended the program, arguing that H-1B visas are “not enough” to replace American workers or pointing out that less than 1% of the “high-skilled tech workforce” are visa holders. Others criticized the program as a “total and complete scam” or even the replacement of “White Americans through legal loopholes.”

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  • Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan as AI adviser sparked controversy within MAGA media

    • In December 2024, infighting erupted in right-wing media over the H-1B visa program following Donald Trump’s selection of venture capitalist Sriram Krishnan as senior policy adviser for artificial intelligence. According to The Washington Post, right-wing activist and podcaster Laura Loomer criticized Krishnan over his support for “making it easier for skilled foreign workers to come to the United States” and the tech industry’s dependency on H-1B visas. This sparked Trump adviser Elon Musk to advocate for the visa program, claiming that 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.” Former GOP presidential candidate and current Trump adviser Vivek Ramaswamy initially expressed support for the visa program as well, claiming that “a culture that celebrates the prom queen over the math olympiad champ, or the jock over the valedictorian [the top student in a class], will not produce the best engineers.” He later clarified, however, that he believes “the H-1B system is badly broken & should be replaced.” [The Washington Post, 12/30/24; The American Prospect, 1/2/25; Business Insider, 12/31/24; BBC, 12/28/24; The Independent, 12/26/24]
    • After Musk advocated for the visas, Trump expressed his own support for the program in apparent contradiction of his previous position. Trump stated, “I didn't change my mind. I've always felt we have to have the most competent people in our country, and we need competent people.” He further emphasized the need for “smart people coming into our country.” During his 2016 presidential campaign, however, Trump advocated for the complete elimination of the H-1B program, and his administration suspended H-1B visas in 2020. [Newsweek, 12/31/24; MSNBC, 1/2/25]

  • While the H-1B visa program provides some potential economic advantages for the U.S., some have argued that it incentivizes low wages for visa holders and must be reformed

    • The H-1B visa program allows U.S. businesses and employers to “temporarily hire non-citizens for high-skill, specialty jobs.” H-1B visas have been restricted to 85,000 a year, with some “universities, think tanks and other non-profit research groups” being allowed to obtain more visas than the cap permits. Applicants are required to hold at least a bachelor’s degree or “equivalent experience,” and once approved for the visa can be hired for up to six years; after the six years, some individuals applying for permanent residence in the U.S. may be eligible to extend their visas. [BBC, 12/30/24; U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, 12/17/24; AL.com, 12/31/24; Tufts International Center, accessed 1/6/25]
    • Research cited by the American Immigration Council indicates that the H-1B visa program could contribute more than a million jobs and billions of dollars in GDP. According to AIC, research has estimated that “an increase in H-1B visas could create an estimated 1.3 million new jobs and add around $158 billion to gross domestic product in the United States by 2045.” H-1B workers often fill employment gaps in many STEM occupations and expand job opportunities for workers in general. [American Immigration Council, accessed 1/7/25, 1/3/25] 
    • But some have pointed out that the H-1B visa program has replaced American jobs and is used by large corporations to underpay visa holders. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) argued that “the main function of the H-1B visa program is not to hire ‘the best and the brightest,’ but rather to replace good-paying American jobs with low-wage indentured servants from abroad.” New York Times editorial board member Farah Stockman wrote that these workers “stay compliant and cheap” because the visas “are owned by the employer.” [The Hill, 1/2/25; The New York Times, 1/3/25]

  • Some in MAGA media defended the H-1B visa program or pushed back against criticism of Trump’s advisers

    • In response to an X (formerly Twitter) user claiming that “Elon will simply tell Trump to cut costs by firing Federal employees and hiring cheap foreign replacements,” right-wing social media account Amuse argued, “The federal jobs are going away, not being replaced. the H1B limits are set by congress.” Amuse further claimed that the amount of H-1B visa holders “aren't enough to replace even 10% of federal workers.” [Twitter/X, 12/28/24]
    • Right-wing commentator Bill Mitchell posted “SETTLE DOWN: H1-B Visa holders represent less than 1% of the high-skilled tech workforce in America. Less than 1%.” [Twitter/X, 12/28/24]
    • Fox Business anchor Cheryl Casone argued that “American companies in the United States, in my view, need these workers, we need these skill sets.” Casone also claimed that if we don’t utilize these workers, it will be “the Chinese” and “the Russians” who will “go after” them, concluding, “We don’t want to fall behind.” [Fox Business, Mornings with Maria, 12/30/24] 
    • Right-wing commentator Ian Miles Cheong: “Many of the H1B critics are probably not more knowledgeable than Elon Musk is on the topic of immigration so I’d suggest not speaking to him in a condescending tone, especially when you’re hopelessly ignorant.” [Twitter/X, 12/28/24]
    • Right-wing influencers the Hodgetwins asserted that “everybody agrees the visa system for immigrant workers is broke and needs to be fixed. Elite immigrants should be able to come to the US and work in jobs that Americans can’t do.” They further argued that “all this division seems coordinated” and that “the deep state wants MAGA divided” and “don’t want Trump and Elon to be aligned.” [Twitter/X, 12/28/24]

  • Other right-wing and fringe media figures responded to the debate by attacking migrants or condemning the visa program as a “scam” or “the replacement of White Americans through legal loopholes”

    • Hitler-praising conspiracy theorist Stew Peters referred to H-1B visas as “the replacement of White Americans through legal loopholes.” [Twitter/X, 1/1/25; Media Matters, 8/26/24] 
    • War Room host Steve Bannon criticized the H-1B visa program, calling it a “total and complete scam from its top to the bottom.” [The Daily Beast, 12/29/24] 
    • In response to an X user claiming that “Indians are the new Jews when it comes to being discriminated against,” Laura Loomer posted, “I’m Jewish and I’m calling out Big Tech supremacy and their H1B visa scam.” [Twitter/X, 12/26/24]
    • Loomer also declared that “today’s H1B’s super-genious engineer is tomorrow’s chain migration superspreader who brings in 100 welfare dependent family members.” She continued: “In the age of remote work and AI agents, there is NO NEED to bring in more Indian programmers!” [Twitter/X, 12/25/24]
    • War Room co-host Natalie Winters argued, “Just like hormone therapy doesn’t turn biological men into women, a H1-B visa doesn’t make you American.” Winters also claimed, “Citizenship and culture is more than geography.” [Twitter/X, 12/31/24]
    • Fox News host Rachel Campos-Duffy complained that her “math guy” son-in-law does not get paid enough because “they’ve got this influx of workers willing to work for less because what they’re getting paid here in the States is … probably a heck of a lot more than in India.” Fox contributor Charlie Hurt agreed, adding that the problem is “made far worse by having open borders where you get not only some of the skilled labor but also lots and lots of unskilled labor.” [Fox News, Fox & Friends Weekend, 12/29/24] 
    • Far-right outlet Real America’s Voice posted that “THE H1-B VISA APPLICANTS ARE NOT HIGH LEVEL ACADEMICS.” The post included a video of National Pulse editor William Upton alleging on War Room that “only a third of approved applicants have Bachelor's degree, and significantly lower percentages of higher degrees.” [Twitter/X, 12/30/24]