The Republican party has won a decisive majority in all three branches of government. But their party still faces challenges — most recently, infighting among new leaders like Elon Musk and anti-immigration advocates.

So what’s going on?

Tech leaders in the party like Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, and others support the increased distribution of H-1B visas to high-skilled immigrants, allowing American companies to hire foreign workers for specialized jobs. Musk and Ramaswamy highlight the program’s vital role in large companies like Tesla, SpaceX, and others. After running on an anti-immigration platform, Trump recently expressed support for the program.

Individuals like Steve Bannon, Nikki Haley, and others criticized this move. They argued that it undermined the American workforce and took opportunities away from American citizens. In a post on X, Haley wrote, “We should be investing and prioritizing in Americans, not foreign workers.”

Is the American workforce mediocre?

The H-1B program is colored with cultural and racial overtones, with supporters suggesting the labor shortage in the U.S. is the result of American society’s normalization of mediocrity over individual excellence. Opponents reject this idea, arguing that “there is nothing wrong with American workers or American culture,” in the words of Haley.

Democrats have also spoken out on the issue, accusing opponents of the program of using racism and prejudice to form their opinions rather than economic concerns for American workers.

How does this impact the GOP?

Musk in particular, as well as tech leaders like him, have risen up as a powerful presence in the Republican Party. Their unprecedented influence has posed a challenge to the party’s anti-immigration stance, especially as Trump has come out to support Musk despite his strong opposition to illegal immigration.

Closing notes

Immigration is a powerful way for a country to expand its population. Letting in more skilled workers does not mean that the American workforce is insufficient, just that the U.S. will prosper with influxes of talented individuals. There is no problem with immigration unless it undermines the rule of law or places individuals in danger… as of now, the H-1B program does not check either of those boxes.