WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch Donald Trump Splits With MAGA over H-1B Visas
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Nov 14, 2025 Mene Ukwe Barua, an insightful opinion writer focused on politics and immigration, joins journalist Alicia Finley to discuss Trump's surprising support for H-1B visas amid backlash from MAGA supporters. They unpack the internal GOP conflicts over immigration policy and the economic necessity of skilled workers. The conversation touches on the impact of immigrants on innovation and productivity, the potential ramifications of restricting worker flows, and the historical splits within the Republican Party on such matters.
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Trump's Mixed Signals On H‑1B Policy
- Donald Trump has shifted back and forth on H-1B visas, showing tension between pragmatic business needs and restrictionist impulses.
- The September executive order and new fees contradict his later pro-skilled-worker comments on Fox News.
White House Split Between Pragmatism And Hardliners
- There is an internal administration split between pragmatic economic approaches and hardline restrictionists like Stephen Miller and J.D. Vance.
- Trump often tilts pragmatic but influential aides push stricter enforcement that can override his preferences.
Raids Can Hurt Strategic Industries
- Trump criticized the Georgia Hyundai raid, arguing detained skilled foreign workers were needed to build and train for battery production.
- The incident underlines how enforcement actions can harm strategic industrial projects.