A new Rasmussen Reports survey claims that six in `10 Americans say that the US already has enough talented people to train and recruit for white-collar jobs and needs no more of it. The findings come amid the major MAGA split over the contentious issue with tech leaders like Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy speaking in favor of H-1B expansion and MAGA old-timers like Steve Bannon, Niki Haley, Laura Loomer speaking against it.President-elect Donald Trump said he had always been in favour of the H-1B program. The raging debate de-escalated after Trump made his opinion known prompting Elon Musk to dial down and say that the H-1B program needs major reforms.
But this is not what the voters think, the poll revealed. The question asked in the poll was whether Congress should increase the inflow of foreign workers. Only 26 per cent said yes. Among Republicans, the poll showed that 72 per cent said the US has enough talented people who can be trained and recruited for such jobs; 63 per cent of tswing voters and a plurality of 47 per cent of Democrats also opined the same.
The survey was conducted in November among 1,000 likely voters before the controversy started.
During Trump’s first term in office, the administration reformed the H-1B program restricting foreign workers and protecting Americans looking for the same jobs.
“I’ve always liked the visas, I have always been in favor of the visas. That’s why we have them,” Trump said as MAGA infighting intensified with Elon Musk announcing war against those who did not agree with his H-1B idea. I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I’ve been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It’s a great program,” Trump said.
Elon Musk said H-1B needs reforms so that hiring H-1B becomes costlier for companies saving the program from becoming a route for cheap labor.