Why Bernie Sanders thinks Elon Musk is wrong about H-1B visas?

The latest individual to join the debate on H-1B visas is the Senior leader from the Democratic Party Bernie Sanders – a Senator from the state of Vermont. Sanders dismissed the argument of Elon Musk -- Tesla CEO and incoming co-head of Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the incoming Trump administration -- that the H-1B enables the US to hire global talent.

“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,”

Sanders also said that if Musk’s goal was to hire talent, then why were workers laid off byTesla in its Austin plant.

He also made the point, that instead of hiring “cheap labour” from overseas, US should give priority to hiring:
“qualified American workers first and to make certain that we have an education system that produces the kind of workforce that our country needs for the jobs of the future.”

The senior Democrat Senator underscored the point that the biggest beneficiaries of the existing H-1B visa system were US billionaires.

The debate pertaining to H-1B visas has come to the fore in recent days after Trump appointed India born and educated Sriram Krishnan as Senior Advisor for Artificial Intelligence (AI)– who has been an ardent advocate of easing out H-1B Visa procedures. Musk and David Sanders came to Krishnan’s defence arguing that the Chennai born and educated techie was in favour of making H-1B skill and merit based. 

As mentioned earlier, Musk on more than one occasion has defended the significance of H-1B visas, saying that by enabling US companies to hire skilled and talented individuals from overseas – who contributed to innovation and growth in the US. 

Trump who has been a firm critic of H-1B visas and introduced several reforms during his earlier presidency also recently defended the same. Said Trump: "I didn't change my mind on H-1B visas. I've always felt we have to have the most competent people in our country. 

We need smart people in our country. We need a lot of people coming in. We're going to have jobs like never before”
Bannon’s criticism of Musk

In recent days, Musk revised his views pertaining to H-1B visas, saying that the existing H-1B system needed reforms. 

Trump’s advisor during his previous tenure Steve Bannon also had a recent spat. Bannon dubbed Musk and some other appointees of his team as “recent converts” he also said that the H-1B visa system needed to be dismantled altogether. Bannon who called the H-1B visa a “scam” also warned Musk that Making America Great Again (MAGA) supporters will “..rip your face off”. 

Of the 65,000 H-1B issued annually by the US, Indians are the overwhelming beneficiaries (mostly techies).

Conclusion

Bernie Sanders remarks pertaining to the H1B are interesting, since it reiterates that while there may be differences between sections of right and the left -- in the US and in other parts of the world -- on certain social issues. On economic issues, there are convergences between both in the current global landscape – which has witnessed the rise of populism and populist leaders. In the US case there is a growing convergence between the populist right and left on immigration and trade issues.

The author is a policy analyst and faculty member at the Jindal School of International Affairs, OP Jindal Global University, Sonipat.

(Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own and do not reflect those of DNA.)