Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has entered the immigration discourse in the United States, expressing strong support for facilitating the legal entry of skilled workers into the country while firmly opposing illegal immigration.
In a recent social media post, Musk remarked, “While it is trivial to enter the United States illegally, it is insanely difficult for legal immigrants to move to the United States. This is madness! We should shut down illegal immigration and greatly increase legal immigration.”
Musk’s comments were prompted by a post from Aaron Levie, CEO of Box, who shared data illustrating the rise in the number of H-1B visa applicants over the past two decades.
The H-1B visa is an employment authorization document that allows foreign individuals to work in the United States for American companies. It is designated for individuals with expertise in specialized fields where qualified U.S.-based workers are not readily available.
The Congress-set limit for H-1B visas is 85,000 per year, with 65,000 under the regular cap and an additional 20,000 under the U.S. advanced degree exemption, known as the master’s cap.
According to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the number of initial selections for FY 2024 was 110,791, which was smaller than in prior years. This decrease was attributed to a higher anticipated petition filing rate by selected registrants based on previous years and higher projected Department of State approvals of H-1B1 visas, which count against the H-1B cap.
In addition to criticizing the U.S. government for restricting legal immigration, Musk also called out the Biden administration for perceived shortcomings in addressing the issue.
Illegal immigration has been a focal point in the U.S. in recent months, with major cities such as New York grappling with an influx of migrants lacking housing and employment opportunities. In December, U.S. border authorities faced challenges processing migrants, with daily apprehensions reaching nearly 11,000—a figure that some officials noted as near or at a record high.
Last week, the United States reopened four legal border crossings along the U.S.-Mexico border in response to a decrease in illegal immigration. The decision allows for the allocation of additional personnel, and the international bridge in Eagle Pass, Texas, along with two crossings in Arizona and one near San Diego, California, will resume operations, as announced in a press release by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).”
