Musk and Ramaswamy Defend Foreign-Born Engineers Amid Immigration Crackdown

As the incoming Trump administration prepares to implement a strict immigration crackdown, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, co-chairs of the newly established "Department of Government Efficiency," have defended Silicon Valley’s reliance on foreign-born engineers.

Their statements reflect a growing debate within conservative circles about the tech industry’s need for international talent versus the push for an “America First” agenda.

Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, emphasized the limited availability of highly skilled engineers within the U.S.

“The number of people who are super talented engineers AND super motivated in the USA is far too low,” Musk wrote on his platform X (formerly Twitter). He argued that the hiring of foreign-born engineers is not about preference but necessity.

Responding to a user accusing him of denying opportunities to Americans, Musk said, “OF COURSE my companies and I would prefer to hire Americans, and we DO, as that is MUCH easier than going through the incredibly painful and slow work visa process.

HOWEVER, there is a dire shortage of extremely talented and motivated engineers in America.”

Ramaswamy, a tech entrepreneur and former GOP presidential candidate, shared similar sentiments, suggesting that the root issue lies in American culture rather than a lack of talent.

“The reason top tech companies often hire foreign-born & first-generation engineers over ‘native’ Americans isn’t because of an innate American IQ deficit (a lazy & wrong explanation),” he wrote on X. “A key part of it comes down to the c-word: culture.”

Ramaswamy criticized what he described as a long-standing cultural tendency in the U.S. to prioritize social popularity over academic or intellectual excellence.

“Our American culture has venerated mediocrity over excellence for way too long (at least since the 90s and likely longer),” he said, adding, “A culture that celebrates the prom queen over the math olympiad champ, or the jock over the valedictorian, will not produce the best engineers.”

The debate intensified following President-elect Trump’s recent appointment of Indian-American entrepreneur Sriram Krishnan as senior policy adviser for artificial intelligence (AI).

Krishnan previously suggested that Musk consider removing caps on green cards for skilled immigrants, a comment that resurfaced online and sparked backlash from some MAGA supporters.

Far-right activist and Trump ally Laura Loomer criticized Krishnan’s appointment, claiming it was a betrayal of Trump’s “America First” policies. She alleged that Krishnan supports removing green card restrictions so foreign students “can come to the U.S. and take jobs that should be given to American STEM students.”

“It’s alarming to see the number of career leftists who are now being appointed to serve in Trump’s admin when they share views that are in direct opposition to Trump’s America First agenda,” Loomer wrote.

However, conservative tech leaders quickly rallied to Krishnan’s defense. David Sacks, Trump’s pick for White House AI and crypto czar, clarified that Krishnan’s stance is focused on eliminating per-country caps for green cards, not making the program unlimited.

“Sriram still supports skills-based criteria for receiving a green card, not making the program unlimited,” Sacks wrote on X. “In fact, he wants to make the program entirely merit-based. Supporting a limited number of highly skilled immigrants is still a prevalent view on the right. Sriram is definitely not a ‘career leftist’!”

Joe Lonsdale, co-founder of Palantir Technologies, also defended Krishnan’s position, emphasizing that supporting highly skilled immigrants aligns with conservative principles.

“For the USA to have the highest standard of living, generous government services, and strongest military, we need to recruit the best and brightest and build the best companies,” Lonsdale said. “I’m against more low-end H1B immigrants; but let’s win at the talent game.”

The discussion underscores the tension between Silicon Valley’s hiring practices and Trump’s broader immigration strategy.

The incoming administration has promised to implement mass deportations of undocumented immigrants and potentially revoke citizenship for naturalized citizens, while also pursuing an ambitious AI and technology agenda.

Despite their alignment on many of Trump’s policies, Musk and Ramaswamy’s defense of foreign-born talent reflects a nuanced stance within the administration’s inner circle.

Both leaders have voiced support for Trump’s immigration plans but argue that targeted immigration of skilled workers is critical for maintaining U.S. innovation and global competitiveness.

The debate surrounding Silicon Valley’s reliance on foreign-born workers and Trump’s immigration policies is likely to remain a contentious issue as the administration moves forward with its plans.