'MAGA civil war' in Trump camp over immigration policy
A major rift has developed among supporters of United States President-elect Donald Trump over immigration policy. The discord pits tech billionaire Elon Musk against Trump's hardline Make America Great Again (MAGA) base. The conflict started after Trump appointed Indian-born entrepreneur Sriram Krishnan as his adviser on artificial intelligence. The decision drew flak from far-right political activist Laura Loomer and former Congress member Matt Gaetz.
Musk defends need for skilled foreign workers
Loomer had slammed Krishnan for supporting the extension of visas and green cards for skilled workers, saying it went against Trump's immigration agenda. Her comments invited Musk's ire, who defended the requirement of skilled foreign workers in Silicon Valley. "There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent," Musk posted on X, the social media platform he owns. He said America would lose if it forced top talent to work elsewhere.
Ramaswamy supports Musk's stance on foreign workers
Vivek Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur and Musk's partner in the Department of Government Efficiency, backed the latter's position. Ramaswamy argued that high-skilled foreign workers are critical to America's success, slamming American culture for choosing "mediocrity" over excellence. The debate grew louder with MAGA supporters offering racist arguments against Ramaswamy's opinion. Loomer blamed tech billionaires for rewriting immigration policy for their benefit. Pro-Trump podcaster Brenden Dilley also slammed Ramaswamy's understanding of American culture.
Haley sides with MAGA supporters, advocates for American workers
Amid all this chaos, former US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley took the side of MAGA supporters, calling for investing in American workers instead of foreign ones. Trump's stance on immigration has been nuanced. While he limited H-1B visas during his presidency, he was open to giving educated foreign nationals graduating from US universities permanent residence.
Musk clashes with Trump supporter over H-1B visas
The H-1B visa debate intensified when Musk took on Trump supporter Steven Mackey on X. Mackey posted a video clip of Musk talking about education limits, using it to advocate for H-1B visa reforms. Musk shot back aggressively, defending the program's contribution to building successful companies like SpaceX and Tesla. Mackey later clarified his position, admitting issues in the H-1B system but calling for balanced reform.
