senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) Public criticism Muskdefense H-1B visa programreigniting the debate over its impact on the U.S. job market. In a statement released Thursday, Sanders questioned Musk’s support for a foreign visa system that enables companies to hire low-wage foreign workers instead of providing Americans with high-paying jobs.
“Musk is wrong,” Sanders wrote in a post on Musk’s platform X. Low-wage indentured servants whose jobs came from abroad. The cheaper the labor they hire, the more money billionaires make.
The bold assertion prompted a strong response from Anil, an Indian-American cardiologist trained at the Mayo Clinic, who shared his own personal experience to refute Sanders’ claims. “Senator, I am a cardiologist trained at the Mayo Clinic. Without an H-1B visa, it would have been impossible for me to obtain U.S. citizenship. “My employer spent over a year before hiring me. It’s time to find a qualified, trained cardiologist to serve rural Kansas. I’m excited to meet with you to give you a clearer understanding of how the H-1B program supports underserved communities and strengthens us. country.
Musk, who has long been a strong supporter of the H-1B program, believes that the United States lacks skilled technology workers and needs foreign talent to fill this gap. He aligns with former President Donald Trump on the issue, with both men advocating hiring individuals from countries such as India to boost U.S. technology innovation.
Sanders remains critical of Musk’s stance, however, citing Tesla’s recent layoffs as evidence that reliance on foreign guest workers may be hurting American workers. “If the U.S. truly has a shortage of skilled workers, why is Tesla laying off more than 7,500 U.S. workers this year, including many software developers and engineers at its Austin, Texas, factory, while being approved to hire thousands more? -1B guest worker? Sanders questioned.
The Vermont senator, known for his progressive views on labor rights, also used the debate to highlight his proposals minimum wage increasestill $7.25 per hour. Sanders believes that this issue foreign workers The need for higher wages for American workers should not be obscured. “The bottom line,” he wrote, “is that it should never be cheaper for a company to hire overseas guest workers than it is to hire American workers.”
While Sanders and Musk continue to spar over the future of the H-1B visa program, the debate has also drawn attention to the role of Indian professionals in the U.S. workforce. many indian american workerEspecially in the technology and healthcare fields, H-1B visas are relied upon to pursue careers in the United States and contribute to the economy.
As the discussion surrounding H-1B visas intensifies, both sides of the debate remain divided over the program’s impact on U.S. jobs and wages. The question remains whether the program’s benefits to the U.S. economy and underserved communities outweigh the concerns expressed by critics like Sanders.
