CaliToday (13/11/2025): In a stunning policy shift that has sent shockwaves through both the tech industry and his own "America First" base, President Donald Trump signaled a new openness to high-skilled foreign workers, including advocating for pathways for foreign students to remain in the U.S. after graduation.
This apparent reversal moves away from the "Buy American, Hire American" rhetoric that was a cornerstone of his administration's immigration policy, which sought to restrict the very programs he now appears to be embracing.
A New Stance on H-1B and Graduates
Speaking to advisors, the President reportedly expressed frustration that the U.S. was losing top talent to competitor nations.
"We force these brilliant, talented people to leave," a source quoted the President as saying, "They get their degrees from Harvard, MIT, and Stanford, and we kick them out. They go back to China, they go back to India, and they become billionaires, employing thousands of people... We need to change that."
This new tone includes a potential reassessment of the H-1B visa program, the primary mechanism for U.S. companies to hire high-skilled foreign professionals. While his administration previously took steps to tighten H-1B approvals and increase scrutiny, Trump now appears to see the program as a tool for American competitiveness rather than a threat to American jobs.
Silicon Valley’s Cautious Optimism
The U.S. tech industry, which relies heavily on the H-1B program to fill critical STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) roles, reacted with cautious optimism.
For years, tech leaders from Silicon Valley to Austin have lobbied Washington, arguing that the cap on H-1B visas and the bureaucratic "green card backlog" were hamstringing innovation and forcing them to move jobs offshore.
"If true, this is a significant and welcome development," said a spokesperson for TechNet, a prominent industry advocacy group. "Our member companies face a critical shortage of high-skilled talent. Retaining the best and brightest minds who are educated in the U.S. is not just good for business; it's an economic imperative."
A ‘Betrayal’ or ‘Pragmatism’?
The policy pivot, however, creates a potential fissure within the President's own coalition.
Immigration hardliners, who have long championed the "Hire American" doctrine, were quick to voice their disapproval. Critics on the right argue that any expansion of guest-worker programs suppresses wages for American-born tech workers.
Conversely, others see this as a pragmatic, second-term shift. With the U.S. in a fierce innovation race and facing talent shortages, some analysts believe the President is acknowledging an economic reality: the U.S. needs more, not fewer, skilled workers. This shift also comes as competitor nations, particularly Canada, have successfully rolled out "fast-track" visa programs to lure skilled immigrants frustrated with the U.S. system.
It remains unclear whether these comments will translate into concrete legislative proposals or executive actions. However, the President's mere suggestion of an "open door" for skilled graduates marks one of the most significant potential changes to U.S. immigration policy in years.