Not enough talented Americans: Trump softens stance amid H-1B visas crackdown, acknowledges foreign talent
A proclamation issued on September 19 stated that H1-B visa holders would not be allowed to enter the US unless their employer paid the new fee.
PTC News Desk: In an unusual statement, US President Donald Trump spoke in support of the H1-B visa program, which mainly benefits Indian professionals. He said the US needs skilled workers from other countries because there aren’t enough qualified people within the country to fill certain jobs.
Speaking on Fox News, Trump was asked if his administration would continue backing the H1-B visa program, despite concerns that it could lower wages for Americans. His support came less than two months after his government sharply increased the annual H1-B visa fee to USD 100,000 — a move that worried many foreign workers, especially Indians. The increase was part of a broader effort to tighten immigration rules.
A proclamation issued on September 19 stated that H1-B visa holders would not be allowed to enter the US unless their employer paid the new fee. Later, the White House clarified that the new charge applied only to new applicants, not those already holding the visa.
Trump also mentioned a recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid at a Hyundai plant in Georgia, where hundreds of South Korean workers were detained. He said that while the raid targeted illegal immigrants, many of those detained were skilled workers who had valuable experience in making batteries — a difficult and dangerous job.
Following the raid, South Korea’s government began investigating possible human rights violations, saying it had not been informed beforehand.