DOGE Leaders Defend Tech Industry’s Reliance On ‘Skilled’ Foreign-Born Engineers, GOP Commentators Respond

OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
12:51 PM – Friday, December 27, 2024

As the incoming Trump administration prepares to crack down on illegal immigration, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, the co-leaders of the president-elect's new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), have announced plans to increase the number of skilled foreign workers in the tech industry. It defends dependence on people.

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Both Musk and Ramaswamy argued that there is a shortage of skilled engineers in the United States.

“There are far too few highly talented and highly motivated engineers in the United States,” Musk argued in a Wednesday post on his social platform X.

In response to a social media user who claimed that the CEOs of SpaceX and Tesla would deny opportunities to Americans, especially given the administrators' “America First” goals, Musk said that the users' perspective is ” He claimed that it was upside down.

“Of course, my company and I want to hire Americans, and we do, because it's much easier than going through the incredibly painful and time-consuming work visa process,” Musk said. said. “But there is a serious shortage of highly talented and motivated engineers in America.”

On Thursday, Mr. Ramaswamy made a similar argument, saying that the country is not recruiting enough qualified engineers from the United States and that this is a “cultural” issue. He attributes this to factors such as American entertainment, saying that if young people want to be popular, liked and successful, they must either be good at sports, attractive or outgoing. suggested that it should be, but that it usually emphasizes uncorrelated characteristics. Enter the world of engineering.

“For too long (at least since the '90s, and probably longer) our American culture has worshiped mediocrity over excellence. It doesn't start in college, it starts at a young age. Mathematics A culture that praises prom queens more than Olympic champions, or athletes more than valedictorians, doesn't produce the best engineers. Some people worship Corey from Boy Meets World, some worship Stefan more than Screech from Saved by the Bell, some worship Stephen more than Steve Urkel from Family Matters. “A culture that relies heavily on people's skills will not produce the best engineers,” Ramaswamy posted. X.

“The reason why top technology companies often hire foreign-born first-generation engineers rather than 'native' Americans is not due to Americans' innate IQ deficit (a lazy and incorrect explanation),” he continued. . “A big part of that comes down to the key word: culture.”

Sriram Krishnan, an Indian-American internet entrepreneur, venture capitalist and podcaster, sparked controversy last month when he recommended that Musk consider lifting restrictions on green card issuance for skilled immigrants. Krishnan's comments have come back to the fore in recent days after President Trump appointed him senior policy adviser for artificial intelligence (AI).

Meanwhile, conservative activist and Trump supporter Laura Loomer blasted Krishnan's appointment on Monday, saying that international students “don't have the ability to come to the United States and take the jobs that should be available to American STEM students.” He said he wanted the green card restrictions lifted so that he could do so.

“It is surprising that a career leftist who shares views that are directly opposed to President Trump’s America First policy has been appointed to the Trump administration,” she added.

“Democratic Congressman [Ro Khanna] My report that a Trump AI advisor will be the next in office is confirmed. @sriramk One of his donors. Surprise surprise! An anti-Trump Democrat is backed by an opportunistic Indian tech fraternity. ”

Shut up you idiot @m_o_o_o_o_!!

Did you know that the people who took eight years to understand that President Trump is not a bad guy and are not Nazis are the “best and brightest” this country has to offer?

You and I are apparently not good enough to wipe their butts. https://t.co/moZryVOAgV

— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) December 26, 2024

Nevertheless, technology company CEOs were still quick to defend Mr. Krishnan. David Sachs, whom President Trump named as White House AI and crypto czar, said Andreessen Horowitz's partners were pushing to remove country caps on green cards.

“Sriram still supports skills-based criteria for receiving green cards, rather than making the program open-ended,” Sachs wrote to X. “In fact, he wants to make the program completely merit-based. Supporting a limited number of highly skilled immigrants remains a right-wing opinion. Sriram never said, Not a career leftist!”

Additionally, Palantir Technologies co-founder Joe Lonsdale asserted that Krishnan is also undeniably “America First.”

“For America to have the best standard of living, generous government services, and the strongest military, we need to hire the best people and build the best companies,” Lonsdale said. “I'm against increasing the number of lower-income H1B immigrants. But let's win the talent game.”

Hiring procedures in Silicon Valley are being debated as President Trump prepares to enact an illegal immigration policy that promises large-scale deportations of illegal aliens. Both Ramaswamy and Musk have expressed support for President Trump's immigration policies.

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