President Donald Trump said the United States still needs skilled workers from abroad, even as his administration continues to tighten visa rules that businesses depend on to fill specialized roles.
In a Fox News interview aired Tuesday, host Laura Ingraham asked Trump whether H-1B visas for foreign professionals would remain a focus for his administration. Ingraham suggested that limiting such visas could help raise wages for American workers.
Also Read| H-1B hiring slows as American companies retreat from foreign recruitment
“You also do have to bring in talent,” Trump said in response. When Ingraham argued that the country already had “plenty of talented people here,” Trump replied, “no.”
“You don’t have certain talents. And you have to, people have to learn. You can’t take people off, like an unemployment line, and say, ‘I’m going to put you into a factory. We’re going to make missiles,’” he added.
Visa Fees and Industry Pushback
Earlier this year, the Trump administration imposed a $100,000 application fee for H-1B visas, which are widely used by American technology companies to hire skilled employees from overseas. The policy prompted a lawsuit from the US Chamber of Commerce, highlighting tensions between corporate America and the administration’s stricter immigration stance.
Trump’s second term has seen intensified deportations of undocumented migrants, including military deployment to assist immigration officers in major cities. The actions have raised concerns among businesses over labor shortages and disrupted recruitment of international students who often transition from US universities to company roles through work visas.
Also Read| India has more to worry about than Trump's $100,000 H-1B visa fee, says Raghuram Rajan
Diplomatic Strains and Workforce Impact
The crackdown has also strained relations with US allies, including South Korea. In September, a federal raid at a Hyundai Motor Co. and LG Energy Solution Ltd. battery plant in Georgia led to the detention of more than 300 South Korean workers accused of being in the country illegally, triggering diplomatic tension with Seoul.
“In Georgia, they raided because they wanted illegal immigrants,” Trump said during the interview. “They had people from South Korea that make batteries all their lives. You know, making batteries are very complicated. It’s not an easy thing, and very dangerous. A lot of explosions, lot of problems.”
He added, “You can’t just say a country is coming in, going to invest $10 billion to build a plant and going to take people off an unemployment line who haven’t worked in five years, and they’re going to start making missiles. It doesn’t work that way.”
After the Georgia raid, Secretary of State Marco Rubio assured South Korean officials that the US remained open to investment from their companies. Trump has also said he is working on “a whole new plan” to allow highly skilled workers to come to the US to support new manufacturing projects.
Also Read| No H-1B, no Nadella or Pichai: What US boardrooms could have missed
Trump’s H-1B Approach in His Second Term
Since the start of his second term, President Trump has signaled a more restrictive approach to the H-1B visa program while keeping its annual cap unchanged. His administration has introduced several measures aimed at tightening eligibility and increasing employer accountability.
A key proposal involves narrowing the definition of “specialty occupation,” making it harder for companies to qualify for H-1B sponsorship. The government has also moved to raise the wage thresholds required for foreign workers, ensuring that only higher-paid, highly skilled roles are eligible.
Employers have reported tougher scrutiny of visa petitions, with higher denial rates and longer processing times. Industry groups say the changes have made it more difficult for companies to hire and retain international talent, especially in technology and engineering.
At the same time, Trump has maintained that the US must continue attracting exceptional global talent. His administration’s stated goal is to prioritize quality over quantity, focusing on workers in advanced industries such as defense, semiconductors, and energy manufacturing.
The administration’s second-term policy on H-1B visas aims to strike a balance between controlling immigration and ensuring the US remains competitive in high-skill sectors. However, businesses and universities warn that continued restrictions could undermine innovation and global investment.
In a Fox News interview aired Tuesday, host Laura Ingraham asked Trump whether H-1B visas for foreign professionals would remain a focus for his administration. Ingraham suggested that limiting such visas could help raise wages for American workers.
Also Read| H-1B hiring slows as American companies retreat from foreign recruitment
“You also do have to bring in talent,” Trump said in response. When Ingraham argued that the country already had “plenty of talented people here,” Trump replied, “no.”
“You don’t have certain talents. And you have to, people have to learn. You can’t take people off, like an unemployment line, and say, ‘I’m going to put you into a factory. We’re going to make missiles,’” he added.
Visa Fees and Industry Pushback
Earlier this year, the Trump administration imposed a $100,000 application fee for H-1B visas, which are widely used by American technology companies to hire skilled employees from overseas. The policy prompted a lawsuit from the US Chamber of Commerce, highlighting tensions between corporate America and the administration’s stricter immigration stance.
Trump’s second term has seen intensified deportations of undocumented migrants, including military deployment to assist immigration officers in major cities. The actions have raised concerns among businesses over labor shortages and disrupted recruitment of international students who often transition from US universities to company roles through work visas.
Also Read| India has more to worry about than Trump's $100,000 H-1B visa fee, says Raghuram Rajan
Diplomatic Strains and Workforce Impact
The crackdown has also strained relations with US allies, including South Korea. In September, a federal raid at a Hyundai Motor Co. and LG Energy Solution Ltd. battery plant in Georgia led to the detention of more than 300 South Korean workers accused of being in the country illegally, triggering diplomatic tension with Seoul.
“In Georgia, they raided because they wanted illegal immigrants,” Trump said during the interview. “They had people from South Korea that make batteries all their lives. You know, making batteries are very complicated. It’s not an easy thing, and very dangerous. A lot of explosions, lot of problems.”
He added, “You can’t just say a country is coming in, going to invest $10 billion to build a plant and going to take people off an unemployment line who haven’t worked in five years, and they’re going to start making missiles. It doesn’t work that way.”
After the Georgia raid, Secretary of State Marco Rubio assured South Korean officials that the US remained open to investment from their companies. Trump has also said he is working on “a whole new plan” to allow highly skilled workers to come to the US to support new manufacturing projects.
Also Read| No H-1B, no Nadella or Pichai: What US boardrooms could have missed
Trump’s H-1B Approach in His Second Term
Since the start of his second term, President Trump has signaled a more restrictive approach to the H-1B visa program while keeping its annual cap unchanged. His administration has introduced several measures aimed at tightening eligibility and increasing employer accountability.
A key proposal involves narrowing the definition of “specialty occupation,” making it harder for companies to qualify for H-1B sponsorship. The government has also moved to raise the wage thresholds required for foreign workers, ensuring that only higher-paid, highly skilled roles are eligible.
Employers have reported tougher scrutiny of visa petitions, with higher denial rates and longer processing times. Industry groups say the changes have made it more difficult for companies to hire and retain international talent, especially in technology and engineering.
At the same time, Trump has maintained that the US must continue attracting exceptional global talent. His administration’s stated goal is to prioritize quality over quantity, focusing on workers in advanced industries such as defense, semiconductors, and energy manufacturing.
The administration’s second-term policy on H-1B visas aims to strike a balance between controlling immigration and ensuring the US remains competitive in high-skill sectors. However, businesses and universities warn that continued restrictions could undermine innovation and global investment.
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