Bernie Sanders Challenges Musk Over "Indian immigrants"
Bernie Sanders has criticized Elon Musk for his support of H-1B visas, claiming that they contribute to the replacement of American workers with low-wage foreign employees. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
US Senator Bernie Sanders has criticized Elon Musk for his endorsement of the H-1B immigration program, contending that it primarily serves to enrich billionaires who benefit from cheap foreign labor, ultimately harming American workers.
The H-1B visa program permits US companies to hire foreign workers for roles that necessitate specialized skills in areas such as technology, engineering, and medicine. It is often seen as the primary gateway for international graduates to enter the US labor market, with a significant portion of approved petitions going to Indian nationals in recent years.
Musk, alongside Vivek Ramaswamy—appointed by US President-elect Donald Trump to head the proposed ‘Department of Government Efficiency’—has expressed support for the H-1B program. Musk, a former H-1B visa holder, argued that the program “made America strong” by bringing in foreign talent and pledged to “go to war on this issue the likes of which you cannot possibly comprehend.”
Critics assert that the H-1B program has greatly benefited Musk’s own companies, like Tesla and SpaceX, as well as other major corporations in the US.
On Thursday, Sanders, who identifies as a democratic socialist, added his voice to the criticisms. He stated, “Elon Musk is wrong. 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. The cheaper the labor they hire, the more money the billionaires make.”
Sanders highlighted that from 2022 to 2023, the top 30 largest US companies utilizing the H-1B program hired over 34,000 new employees while concurrently laying off at least 85,000 American workers. “The H-1B program must be ended. Bottom line. It should never be cheaper for a corporation to hire a guest worker from overseas than an American worker,” he asserted.
In 2016, Trump, noted for his stringent immigration policies, labeled the H-1B scheme as “very unfair” to American workers and called for its termination. However, in late December, he seemed to have reversed his stance, offering support for the program. “I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I’ve been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It’s a great program,” he stated. When confronted about his apparent change of heart, Trump refuted any claims of a shift in opinion, as reported by the New York Times.
Nonetheless, some of Trump’s staunch supporters criticize the H-1B program. Steve Bannon, who served as White House chief strategist under Trump, called it a “scam” that benefits “Silicon Valley’s sociopathic overlords.” He added, “It’s disgusting to talk about ‘high-skilled foreign workers’ while bringing in slave labor.”
Thomas Evans contributed to this report for TROIB News
The H-1B visa program permits US companies to hire foreign workers for roles that necessitate specialized skills in areas such as technology, engineering, and medicine. It is often seen as the primary gateway for international graduates to enter the US labor market, with a significant portion of approved petitions going to Indian nationals in recent years.
Musk, alongside Vivek Ramaswamy—appointed by US President-elect Donald Trump to head the proposed ‘Department of Government Efficiency’—has expressed support for the H-1B program. Musk, a former H-1B visa holder, argued that the program “made America strong” by bringing in foreign talent and pledged to “go to war on this issue the likes of which you cannot possibly comprehend.”
Critics assert that the H-1B program has greatly benefited Musk’s own companies, like Tesla and SpaceX, as well as other major corporations in the US.
On Thursday, Sanders, who identifies as a democratic socialist, added his voice to the criticisms. He stated, “Elon Musk is wrong. 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. The cheaper the labor they hire, the more money the billionaires make.”
Sanders highlighted that from 2022 to 2023, the top 30 largest US companies utilizing the H-1B program hired over 34,000 new employees while concurrently laying off at least 85,000 American workers. “The H-1B program must be ended. Bottom line. It should never be cheaper for a corporation to hire a guest worker from overseas than an American worker,” he asserted.
In 2016, Trump, noted for his stringent immigration policies, labeled the H-1B scheme as “very unfair” to American workers and called for its termination. However, in late December, he seemed to have reversed his stance, offering support for the program. “I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I’ve been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It’s a great program,” he stated. When confronted about his apparent change of heart, Trump refuted any claims of a shift in opinion, as reported by the New York Times.
Nonetheless, some of Trump’s staunch supporters criticize the H-1B program. Steve Bannon, who served as White House chief strategist under Trump, called it a “scam” that benefits “Silicon Valley’s sociopathic overlords.” He added, “It’s disgusting to talk about ‘high-skilled foreign workers’ while bringing in slave labor.”
Thomas Evans contributed to this report for TROIB News
