Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk addressed the ongoing debate over H-1B visas, skilled immigration, and border security during an extensive discussion on Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath’s podcast, which aired on Sunday. Throughout the conversation, Musk emphasized that America has “long benefitted” from skilled Indian professionals.
Kamath began by observing that the United States had historically attracted “really smart people” from around the globe, resulting in what many in India have called a “brain drain”. He questioned why the immigration conversation appeared to have changed in recent years, suggesting the US had grown “anti-immigration to a certain extent.”
Musk concurred, highlighting the substantial contributions of Indian talent to American progress. “Yes, I think America has benefitted immensely from talented Indians that have come to America,” he stated.
His comments arrive amid President Donald Trump’s continued crackdown on undocumented migration and recent modifications to H-1B visa regulations. In October, Trump issued a proclamation imposing a $100,000 fee for new H-1B visa applications, designed to incentivize companies to prioritize American workers, though the move sparked considerable pushback across multiple industries.
Musk Opposes Shutting Down H-1B Visa Program
While Musk recognized legitimate concerns about the H-1B system, he argued that reforms should target abuse rather than eliminating the program altogether.
“There’s been some misuse of the H-1B Program… some outsourcing companies have kind of gamed the system,” he explained, stressing that the answer was to “stop the gaming of the system,” not dismantle the visa category entirely.
Musk pushed back against conservative voices calling for the program’s termination, stating, “I’m not in the school of thought that we should shut down the H-1B Program… that would actually be very bad”.
Criticism of Open Border Policies
Musk, whose alliance with Trump has experienced ups and downs, criticized the previous Biden administration’s border management, characterizing it as lacking proper oversight.
He described the approach as “a total free-for-all with no border controls,” asserting that functioning borders are fundamental because “unless you’ve got border controls, you’re not a country”.
The billionaire entrepreneur said political polarization in America complicates immigration reform. “The left wants to basically have open borders… Then on the right, you’ve got at least a perception that somehow their jobs are being taken by talented people from other countries,” he noted.
Read More: Nikhil Kamath Teases Elon Musk Episode On WTF Podcast, Internet Asks: ‘Is It AI?’
He contended that weak enforcement resulted in “massive amounts of illegal immigration” and produced a “negative selection effect,” arguing that economic incentives for unlawful entry encouraged more individuals to attempt border crossings.
Nevertheless, Musk maintained that based on his direct experience, the shortage of skilled professionals is genuine. “We have a lot of difficulty finding enough talented people to get these difficult tasks done. And so more talented people would be good,” he added.
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