Washington, D.C. | December 1, 2025
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk forcefully backed the H-1B visa program on Monday, praising Indian skilled workers as essential to America’s technological edge amid a growing political storm over immigration under the incoming Trump 2.0 administration.
Speaking during a podcast conversation with Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath, Musk asserted that “The US has benefited immensely from talented Indians,” pushing back against MAGA-aligned hardliners calling for a clampdown on skilled worker visas. He cited the outsized contributions of Indian-origin tech leaders like Sundar Pichai (Google) and Satya Nadella (Microsoft), arguing that immigrants are the backbone of Silicon Valley’s $1 trillion innovation economy.
The debate gained traction after Trump’s senior adviser Stephen Miller labeled the H-1B system “indentured servitude,” triggering a viral response. Musk countered the claim on X, his post amassing over 5 million views, sparking global debate and propelling #H1BReform to 1.2 million mentions worldwide.
Key Data Points:
In FY25, Indians received 85,000 H-1B approvals, amounting to 72% of total visas, underscoring their dominance in US tech hiring.
Median salaries stood at $120,000 for H-1B hires, compared to $110,000 for US-born workers, fueling long-running wage and outsourcing debates.
US Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer confirmed a policy review to “balance innovation with worker protections” ahead of Trump’s inauguration.
Brookings economists estimate skilled migration has added 25% to US GDP growth since 2000.
The issue has become a flashpoint in pre-inauguration political battles, with Indian diaspora groups rallying online and industry leaders warning that restrictive visa rules could choke innovation. Musk, in his signature candor, quipped: “Without immigrants, who’d build the rockets?”
