The White House on Monday introduced a sharper, more nuanced position on immigration and high-skill work visas, outlining President Donald Trump’s willingness to permit limited, time-bound use of foreign skilled workers—specifically in cases where companies are making substantial investments in U.S. manufacturing.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the approach as “practical and common-sense,” emphasising that American workers remain central to the President’s economic priorities. According to Leavitt, Trump supports hiring foreign specialists only during the early build-out phases of advanced manufacturing facilities, where niche expertise is needed to operationalise next-generation production lines.
“The President does not support American workers being replaced,” she said. “He wants to revitalise American manufacturing, and that’s exactly what he’s doing with tariffs and strong trade deals. When foreign companies invest trillions in the U.S. and bring in specialised workers to establish facilities—for example, battery plants—he wants that expertise at the beginning to get operations running.”
Leavitt added that once these factories stabilise, Trump expects companies to transition fully to an American workforce. “Ultimately, the President wants American workers in those jobs. He has been clear with foreign companies: if you’re doing business in the United States, you should be hiring American talent.”
Trump has long criticised the H-1B visa system—widely used by Indian tech workers—arguing it depresses wages and displaces domestic jobs. The administration has already signalled a significantly tougher framework, including a proposed $100,000 fee on new H-1B applications and stricter oversight to curb perceived misuse.
Yet the President has also recently acknowledged the need to keep channels for high-skilled immigration open. In a Fox News interview, he pushed back on claims that the U.S. already has sufficient skilled workers. “No, you don’t,” Trump said. “You can’t take someone from an unemployment line and put them in a factory making missiles. Certain talents have to be learned.”
He further noted that foreign students contribute meaningfully to U.S. innovation and business, even as F-1 and H-1B visas continue to be focal points for criticism within MAGA-aligned circles.
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