Trump Defends H-1B Visas, Says US Needs Foreign Talent Despite New Restrictions.
US President Donald Trump has defended the H-1B visa programme, arguing that the United States “doesn’t have the talent” required to fill certain high-skill positions domestically. Speaking to Fox News, Trump dismissed concerns that foreign workers undercut American wages, insisting that specialised roles often demand skills unavailable in the current US labour pool.
“I agree—but you also do have to bring in talent,” Trump said when asked whether H-1B visas should be curtailed. When host Laura Ingraham claimed there was ample homegrown talent, Trump countered, “No, you don’t … You don’t have certain talents, and people have to learn. You can’t take people off an unemployment line and say, ‘I’m going to put you into a factory where we’re going to make missiles.’”
Cites Georgia Factory Raid to Highlight Skills Gap
Trump referred to a September ICE raid at a Hyundai battery facility in Georgia, where hundreds of South Korean contractors were detained. He said the incident underscored America’s reliance on foreign expertise in advanced manufacturing. “Making batteries is very complicated … You’re going to need that,” he said.
Sweeping Changes to H-1B Programme
Despite defending the need for foreign professionals, Trump’s administration has rolled out major changes to the H-1B system. A new $100,000 application fee has been imposed for new petitions — a move the White House says targets visa misuse but which critics argue will deter legitimate employers.
Additionally, a weighted lottery now favours higher-paid or more specialised applicants, which the Department of Homeland Security says will prioritise merit and discourage wage suppression.
Comments are closed.