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Democrats Flip On H-1B Visas?

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) recently criticized tech mogul Elon Musk for his support of the H-1B visa program, an issue that has created division within certain conservative circles, including among supporters of President Trump. Sanders, known for his advocacy for higher wages and stronger protections for American workers, argued that the program disproportionately benefits large corporations at the expense of working-class Americans.

In a statement shared on Musk’s social media platform, X, Sanders asserted that the primary function of the H-1B visa system isn’t to attract the “best and brightest” from abroad, as Musk suggests. Instead, Sanders claimed, it serves to replace well-paying American jobs with cheaper foreign labor. According to Sanders, the program allows corporations to maximize profits by hiring lower-cost workers, which in turn enriches the nation’s wealthiest individuals.

This stance puts Sanders at odds with Musk and some factions within the conservative movement, including former President Trump’s base. Musk and Trump have both defended the H-1B program, arguing that there is a shortage of skilled workers in fields like technology, especially in areas such as software development and engineering. They believe the visa system is necessary to fill critical gaps in the U.S. labor market.

However, Sanders pointed out the apparent contradiction in Musk’s position. Despite claiming a shortage of skilled American workers, Tesla, one of Musk’s flagship companies, recently laid off over 7,500 American workers, including engineers and software developers at its Austin, Texas factory. Yet, Tesla was simultaneously approved to hire thousands of H-1B workers from abroad. Sanders used this as evidence that the H-1B program is less about filling real labor shortages and more about reducing labor costs for billion-dollar corporations.

As part of his broader push for fairer wages, Sanders also emphasized the need for a higher federal minimum wage. He argued that it should never be cheaper for businesses to hire foreign workers than it is to employ Americans. This debate underscores the growing concern among many working-class conservatives that policies designed to benefit tech companies are doing little to help ordinary American workers who are already struggling to make ends meet.

For many Republicans who believe in prioritizing American workers, Sanders’ message resonates: the H-1B visa program may need rethinking to ensure that it doesn’t harm the very people it was supposed to help.