Washington: In the midst of talks by billionaire Elon Musk, Republican leader Vivek Ramaswamy, and Sriram Krishnan—President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for White House policy adviser on artificial intelligence—about extending the visa program, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has joined the discussion surrounding H1B visa distribution in the US.

According to Nikki Haley, the government attracted international businesses to invest in South Carolina rather than their employees, which is why the state’s unemployment rate decreased from 11% to 4% during her time as governor. She described how South Carolinians received training for the new occupations that have led to their constructing cars and airplanes, among other things.

“Invest in our education system if the tech industry needs workers,” she said, underscoring the need of supporting the American workforce. Put money into our American labor force. Before we look overseas, we must invest in Americans. The American spirit and skill should never be undervalued.

CNN claims that social media statements by Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk advocating for the expansion of the H-1B visa program for highly talented workers have spurred a discussion among Trump supporters over how the program should be included in the immigration agenda of the next administration.

Trump’s announcement on Sunday that he was naming Sriram Krishnan as a White House policy advisor on artificial intelligence ignited the discussion around the H-1B visa problem. “Anything to remove country caps for green cards/unlock skilled immigration would be huge,” Krishnan said in a November post that sparked immediate criticism, according to The Hill.

According to The Hill, Indian workers accounted for 72% of H-1B beneficiaries in fiscal year 2023, and by law, no more than 7% of green cards granted in a year may be granted to applicants from a single nation.

Meanwhile, a surge of Trump supporters in the IT sector expressed support for hiring highly qualified foreign workers.

David Sacks, a prominent Trump friend who is expected to be appointed White House czar for AI and cryptocurrencies, backed Krishnan’s position in spite of the criticism, stating that he was advocating for the removal of per-country constraints on green cards rather than the removal of all restrictions.
During the US presidential election in 2024, immigration was a significant topic for American voters.

According to The Hill, the present discussion centers on legal immigrants, revealing wider, sometimes racial, anti-immigrant fault lines, even as President-elect Trump has pledged to stop illegal immigration at the southern border and begin a vast deportation drive.