Cracks appear in Maga world over foreign worker visas

Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk argue for skilled visas, but not all Trump supporters are pleased with their immigration views

British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersCracks appear in Maga world over foreign worker visasGetty ImagesA tweet by Trump ally Vivek Ramaswamy touched off a debate over immigration within Republican circlesSupporters of President-elect Donald Trump clashed online over a visa programme intended to bring skilled workers to the US - showing possible cracks in the upcoming administration.

Vivek Ramaswamy, tapped by Trump to slash government spending, claimed American culture is to blame for US firms deciding to hire skilled foreign workers, which is typically done via the H-1B temporary worker visas.

"Our American culture has venerated mediocrity over excellence," Ramaswamy wrote in a long X post that argued that foreign workers improve the the US economy.

The post attracted backlash from Trump supporters who are strongly opposed to immigration of any sort, causing Ramaswamy to clarify his position.

Taking aim at American culture, Ramaswamy originally wrote: "A culture that celebrates the prom queen over the math olympiad champ, or the jock over the valedictorian [the top student in a class], will not produce the best engineers."

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyv7gxp02yo

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