Megan Basham

What it's really being used for is hiring a cheaper foreign workforce. And they say that overall, it depresses American wages. Well, on the other side, you have what's being referred to as the new tech right. Think people like Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, and also some other Silicon Valley titans whose names you might not know, people like venture capitalist David Sachs.

What it's really being used for is hiring a cheaper foreign workforce. And they say that overall, it depresses American wages. Well, on the other side, you have what's being referred to as the new tech right. Think people like Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, and also some other Silicon Valley titans whose names you might not know, people like venture capitalist David Sachs.

They believe that this program has given America a competitive edge in the global free market. Musk, for example, said over the weekend that expanding immigration for the top 0.1% of engineering talent is essential for America to keep winning. And he said that it's thanks to H-1B that the world's great innovators, like him, have chosen to build their companies in the U.S.

They believe that this program has given America a competitive edge in the global free market. Musk, for example, said over the weekend that expanding immigration for the top 0.1% of engineering talent is essential for America to keep winning. And he said that it's thanks to H-1B that the world's great innovators, like him, have chosen to build their companies in the U.S.

And where does President Trump come down on this? So after a couple of days of this inter-party wrangling, he told the New York Post that his companies have hired H-1B visa holders many times and that he supports it for highly skilled workers. Now, a lot of media outlets took that as carte blanche support for the program, but I'm not so sure that they should have.

And where does President Trump come down on this? So after a couple of days of this inter-party wrangling, he told the New York Post that his companies have hired H-1B visa holders many times and that he supports it for highly skilled workers. Now, a lot of media outlets took that as carte blanche support for the program, but I'm not so sure that they should have.

So one, there's that caveat, highly skilled. That's really the crux of the argument. Is the program being used to fill a void that the American talent pool can't? Because we do need to remember that Trump did try to reform the program in his first administration, and he has in the past been critical of it for holding down American wages.

So one, there's that caveat, highly skilled. That's really the crux of the argument. Is the program being used to fill a void that the American talent pool can't? Because we do need to remember that Trump did try to reform the program in his first administration, and he has in the past been critical of it for holding down American wages.

And I've got to say that as I watched this debate unfold over the weekend, Georgia, it did seem to me like the two sides were often speaking past each other. And that was something that conservative CNN commentator Scott Jennings also highlighted.

And I've got to say that as I watched this debate unfold over the weekend, Georgia, it did seem to me like the two sides were often speaking past each other. And that was something that conservative CNN commentator Scott Jennings also highlighted.

By Saturday, Jennings was largely proved right on this. After interacting with some accounts that were highlighting government data that shows that many companies are using the program to hire lower skilled foreign workers for generally less than they'd have to pay Americans, Musk said that he does believe the program is broken and needs major reform.

By Saturday, Jennings was largely proved right on this. After interacting with some accounts that were highlighting government data that shows that many companies are using the program to hire lower skilled foreign workers for generally less than they'd have to pay Americans, Musk said that he does believe the program is broken and needs major reform.

Some of his suggestions to fix it, an annual fee for H-1B visas that would make it more expensive for companies to hire from overseas. He said that that would help ensure that they're really doing it to bring in top talent, not just to hire cheap. And it would also ensure that it's really going to those roles that you can't find in the U.S.

Some of his suggestions to fix it, an annual fee for H-1B visas that would make it more expensive for companies to hire from overseas. He said that that would help ensure that they're really doing it to bring in top talent, not just to hire cheap. And it would also ensure that it's really going to those roles that you can't find in the U.S.

Well, by Sunday morning, representatives on both sides of the aisle were voicing support for reforms like those Musk suggested.

Well, by Sunday morning, representatives on both sides of the aisle were voicing support for reforms like those Musk suggested.

Well, you know, essentially because he was facing a revolt led by Elon Musk and the House Freedom Caucus. They felt that this was a bloated bill, more than 1,500 pages, that added on tens of billions in unnecessary new spending. And they said it was being rammed through before anyone could fully review it. Eric Burleson of Missouri called the bill a total dumpster fire.

Well, you know, essentially because he was facing a revolt led by Elon Musk and the House Freedom Caucus. They felt that this was a bloated bill, more than 1,500 pages, that added on tens of billions in unnecessary new spending. And they said it was being rammed through before anyone could fully review it. Eric Burleson of Missouri called the bill a total dumpster fire.

Chip Roy of Texas said passing it would be the equivalent of eating a crap sandwich. So pretty pointed words there. Then there was Elon Musk. Trump has tasked him and Vivek Ramaswamy with finding spending cuts, and Musk clearly wanted Republicans to reject this bill. He'd been posting prolifically against it on X for days, including this clip of Ramaswamy that he shared on Wednesday.

Chip Roy of Texas said passing it would be the equivalent of eating a crap sandwich. So pretty pointed words there. Then there was Elon Musk. Trump has tasked him and Vivek Ramaswamy with finding spending cuts, and Musk clearly wanted Republicans to reject this bill. He'd been posting prolifically against it on X for days, including this clip of Ramaswamy that he shared on Wednesday.