Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™.
A few weeks ago, a debate surrounding the possible expansion of H-1B visas erupted on X (formerly known as Twitter).Established under the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, the H-1B visa program is for employers to hire nonimmigrant workers in specialty roles or other roles of distinguished merit or ability. The occupation could refer to nurses, models, and tech workers.
The number of workers working in the United States on a H-1B visa has steadily increased over the past decade. Companies like Microsoft, Google, Meta, Amazon, and Apple rely on the program to stay ahead in their competitive market. Last year, Elon Musk’s Telsa emerged as one of the leading companies with H-1B visa workers. This is no surprise, as Musk has supported the program. Sharing his support for the program online drew the ire of strongholds within the MAGA coalition like Laura Loomer, who wants the program to end.
Vivek Ramaswamy, a fellow billionaire and co-chair of President-elect Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, chimed in to support Musk’s claims. He stated that the program was necessary because the United States lacked the skilled workers necessary to do these jobs because American culture has always celebrated jocks and stigmatized nerds, posting on X: “Our American culture has venerated mediocrity over excellence for way too long.”
These comments are antithetical to Trump’s entire platform and don’t resonate with MAGA voters. Trump ran on a platform of mass deportations and general anti-immigration sentiments. Debates over H-1B visas stem from white supremacy fears of the “browning” of America. Trump has instilled a fear that white people are at risk of being replaced by immigrants and that immigrants are the source of crime and discontent. During his first presidential term, Trump criticized the program and restricted foreign worker visas. Now, the President-elect has supported Musk and Ramaswamy, much to the chagrin of his MAGA followers. MAGA resists the H-1B program because their view towards the H-1B program isn’t just a worry about jobs being lost to Americans, but the loss of jobs for white Americans. White Americans are already overrepresented in the tech field as the amount of Black American workers in tech decreases at an alarming rate.
H-1B visa programs weren’t created to replace American workers but to allow both foreign and American workers to be in tandem. However, employers who lean heavily on the program aren’t interested in enhancing their workforce but are exploiting it. The Economic Policy Institute reported that H-1B workers are paid lower than the median wage and are more likely to experience mistreatment. Billionaires like Musk and Ramaswamy support this program not because they believe that skilled workers are few and far between in the states but because the program gives them the opportunity to hire workers at a discount who will be compliant or be at risk of losing their jobs. So, where does that leave American workers?
Layoffs.fyi reports that over 151,000 tech workers have been laid off since 2024, with almost 400,000 workers since 2023. Following the trend of AI and automation, it’s no surprise that tech workers are being replaced by machines and workers who have no choice but to work for cheaper wages. This will only lead to the already white tech industry being utterly devoid of diversity, which they have already planned for with the rolling back of corporate DEI initiatives in the past year.
While I don’t believe that the H-1B visa program should be removed, there should be some reform to protect workers. These corporations shouldn’t exploit workers; better laws should be in place to thwart abuse and ensure equitable treatment. Trump choosing to embrace this program isn’t because he has respect for immigrants, but to preserve billion-dollar corporations’ bottom line. Trump, Musk, Ramaswamy, and MAGA don’t care nor respect immigrants for this contribution to this country. We should embrace workers of various backgrounds and celebrate what they can contribute to the workforce instead of demonizing them. American workers shouldn’t be adopting an us versus them mindset, but instead adopt ways to work with them. Corporations win by pitting the working class against each other; workers should form solidarity to circumvent workplace exploitation.
