Trump says he’s not changed his mind on H-1B visas as debate rages within MAGA coalition

President-elect Donald Trump reiterated his support for the H-1B visa program this week, emphasizing the need for “smart people” to come into the country. Trump made these comments amidst a heated debate within the Republican party regarding the visa program, which allows U.S. companies to hire foreign workers for specialty occupations, primarily in the tech industry.

During a gathering at Mar-a-Lago, Trump stated, “I’ve always felt we have to have the most competent people in our country, and we need competent people. We need smart people coming into our country. We need a lot of people coming in. We’re going to have jobs like we’ve never had before.” These remarks come in response to criticisms from some conservatives who argue that the H-1B program is being exploited by tech companies to bring in cheap labor, predominantly from India, to replace American workers.

The debate over the H-1B program was reignited when Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, both of whom have been selected by Trump to lead the Department of Government Efficiency, defended the importance of foreign workers for tech companies. Musk, in particular, credited the H-1B program for enabling him and other critical figures in the tech industry to contribute to America’s strength.

However, not all Republicans share Musk’s perspective. Senator Eric Schmitt of Missouri criticized the program on Fox News Sunday, stating that it has been “abused” and has led to American workers being undercut by foreign workers who are willing to work for lower wages.

Trump has a history of skepticism towards the H-1B program. During his 2016 presidential campaign, he vowed to address the abuse of the program and eliminate practices that result in Americans training their foreign replacements at lower pay. His administration proposed several reforms to prioritize higher-wage applicants for the limited number of H-1B visas allocated each year.

While the Biden administration has abandoned some of these proposed reforms, the debate over the H-1B program continues. Musk has suggested raising the minimum salary for H-1B visa holders and imposing additional costs on companies that hire foreign workers. Despite these differing opinions, Trump remains supportive of the program, stating to the New York Post that he has always been a “believer” in H-1B visas and has used them on his properties.

As the incoming Trump administration considers its stance on the H-1B program, the debate over the visa program’s future continues to unfold. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Adam Shaw is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, with a focus on immigration and border security. He can be reached at adam.shaw2@fox.com or on Twitter.