President Donald Trump seems to have imposed a personal rule on himself: not a single day should pass without one of his statements or actions appearing in the press. And it doesn’t seem to take much effort, since for much of the media, everything he does is controversial. The comment that has sparked outrage among American workers—more left- than right-leaning—was uttered in a Fox News interview, in which he defended the need to sometimes bring in extremely high-skilled foreign workers. He declared that the United States “does not have certain talents,” hence the need to hire people from abroad.
This enraged a sector of the local population that, despite hating his tariffs, does seem offended at the backhanded compliment to H-B1 workers. However, we do have to keep in mind that the current US Government signed a tariff a few months ago that imposes a $100,000 on the hiring of any new H-1B employee. What you do know is that, since the interview aired on November 11, 2025, the controversy surrounding work visas has returned.
Trump and H-1B visas
All these statements were made on The Ingraham Angle, hosted by Laura Ingraham. Although he was not asked about the future of the H-1B program, Trump defended its existence, asserting that the US economy needs to bring in talent in certain cases. Considering that the United States has historically been a country of immigration, attracting people with capital and skills, the statement is not as far-fetched as it might seem at first glance. However, the host confronted him directly, asking if the country already has enough talent. Trump responded openly: “No, you don’t have certain talents.”
However, bringing in highly specialized people does not necessarily affect unemployed people. If there is a person in the unemployment line who has worked (for example) in construction, you cannot come overnight and ask them to program code or repair heavy machinery. There is a significant skills gap, which is sometimes mitigated by hiring people from outside.
Another issue is the abuse of H-1B visas that has been going on until now in sectors such as technology. No one can deny that the IT sector has been affected by the massive influx of workers from very specific countries, which has stagnated the wages of local workers. However, this does not mean that the visa program for foreigners should be banned and that no one else should be allowed to enter the country for work reasons.
What is the H-1B visa?
The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US employers to temporarily hire foreign professionals. Companies pay for the visa and must request permission from the government and complete all the necessary paperwork. These professionals must work in specialized occupations, which usually require at least a four-year college degree. It is the cornerstone of foreign hiring for the technology industry. Silicon Valley giants use it to fill positions in artificial intelligence or advanced engineering. It is the tool with which that industry hires the best experts from around the world to come and work temporarily in the United States.
However, the protectionist side of the economy sees this tool as an instrument of abuse. Many technology companies use this outsourcing to bring in highly specialized labor at excessively low costs. This is logically perceived as unfair to local workers, as it floods the market with skilled workers who are not fully adapted to the industry. However, the technology industry insists that global talent is vital if it wants to maintain its competitive advantage; protectionism would make this area too uncompetitive and it would be overtaken by technological titans such as China.
We cannot blame President Donald Trump for saying that workers with H-B1 visas are necessary for the economy. If the companies that hire them are willing to pay a punitive tariff of US$100,000 for each new visa application, it means that they are truly worth it. And if they are not… they can always continue hiring American workers.