Today, Explained MAGA’s other immigration battle
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Nov 25, 2025 
Vivek Wadhwa, a tech entrepreneur and academic, explores the contentious landscape of high-skill immigration. He discusses the evolving rhetoric around H-1B visas and the contrasting views within Trump's administration. Wadhwa highlights how immigrants drive innovation, yet structural flaws and high fees threaten startups' abilities to attract talent. He shares his own experience moving a company to India due to visa issues, advocating for policy reforms to support creativity and competitiveness in the U.S. economy.
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Trump's Conflicting Stance On H-1B Visas
- President Trump has given mixed signals on H-1B visas, praising their utility while his base and some aides push to restrict them.
- This split reveals a recurring tug-of-war between pro-business and America-first impulses in his administration.
Longstanding Split Between MAGA And Business
- The H-1B debate has long split MAGA anti-immigrant activists and pro-business leaders like Jared Kushner.
- That split produced policy stasis during Trump's first term, with competing voices preventing major H-1B reforms.
$100K Fee Aims To Shut Down Program
- The current administration moved toward restricting H-1Bs by adding a $100,000 fee aimed to deter employers from using the program.
- The fee is explicitly meant to shrink access rather than reform program administration.