H-1B Visa Row : Elón Musk Ready To ‘Go To War’ to Defend H-1B Visa - Details

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, pledged to "go to war" to defend the H-1B visa program, which allows foreign tech workers to fill critical roles in U.S. companies. This comes amid a growing rift between President-elect Donald Trump's supporters and the tech industry over immigration and work visas.

In a Friday social media post, Musk expressed full support for the program, saying, "The reason I'm in America along with so many critical people who built SpaceX, Tesla, and hundreds of other companies that made America strong is because of H1B." He added, "I will go to war on this issue the likes of which you cannot possibly comprehend."

A naturalized citizen of the United States originally from South Africa, Musk has himself been a beneficiary of the H-1B program. His companies, Tesla and SpaceX, have largely depended on such visas; this year alone, Tesla won 724 of them. The three-year work visa issued under the program may be extended or can serve as a stepping stone toward permanent residency.

His statement responded to growing criticism from several supporters of Trump, including activists from the far right wing, who have demanded an end to the H-1B program. Their argument is that these visas result in foreign labor entering into the country and therefore, lead to undermining American wages, making them part of a greater debate on immigration policies.

Controversy heighted when President Trump appointed an Indian-American venture capitalist called Sriram Krishnan to the position of an artificial intelligence adviser. Some supporters of Trump, therefore began complaining that Krishnan was behind his immigration policies and wanted him to advocate more for the H-1B program.

In response, Musk and other tech leaders have emphasized legal immigration and distinguished it from illegal immigration. Musk himself has been a vocal supporter of Trump's presidential campaign but also highlighted the fact that there is a need for skilled workers in the US tech industry, noting that there's a shortage of homegrown talent to fill these spots.