President Donald Trump’s second inauguration has begun a new chapter in American politics. Trump has ushered in this new era with many claims that could affect college students. He has announced that he will attempt to close the U.S. border against illegal immigration and implement tariffs against foreign nations to bolster the American production base and economy.

Trump has also vowed to institute a Department of Government Efficiency headed by Elon Musk, which will attempt to reduce government spending and overexpansion. Musk appears to be a core member of Trump’s plans; however, Musk’s proponency of the H-1B visa program may hinder the president’s other plans.

According to the American Immigration Council, the H-1B visa program allows companies to bring over foreign temporary workers with education in specialized fields, such as engineering, medicine, mathematics and technology.

Musk has strongly advocated expanding the H-1B visa, having come to the U.S. on the same visa. Musk said, “The reason I’m in America along with so many critical people who built SpaceX, Tesla, and hundreds of other companies that made America strong is because of H-1B.”

However, the program has been criticized for allowing large corporations to exploit cheaper labor from foreign nations.

In 2013, The Boston Globe reported on an incident where dozens of employees of a healthcare company’s IT department were let go due to “budget cuts,” only to discover that those employees were replaced by H-1B workers who were working for, on average, a salary of $25,000 less than the original employees.

Currently, Congress caps issuances of the H-1B visa at 65,000 per year, with a provision to grant an extra 20,000 to applicants possessing a master’s degree or higher in a U.S. institution. Elon Musk wants to expand the program, claiming, “There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent. It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley.”

However, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, the number of Engineering, Computer science and Mathematics degrees earned in the United States reached record highs in the 2019-2022 academic years. If that’s the case, then a lack of talent isn’t the issue, and cost could be the culprit.

At the same time, a study from the Economic Policy Institute has found that the companies that utilize the largest pools of H-1B workers have also laid off more than double the number of employees they receive through the program.

In the past, Trump seemed to agree with this line of thinking; he issued an executive order directing the executive branch to hire American workers and purchase American products first.

However, he seems to have changed his tune, telling the New York Post, “I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I’ve been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It’s a great program.”

This change in policy threatens not only those currently employed in H-1B-eligible fields but also those entering the workforce, including students at Clemson. Clemson students’ most popular majors, including Engineering, Biomedical sciences, Health professions, and computer science, are all fields and degrees qualified for the H-1B visa.

These majors constituted 38% of Clemson’s 2023 graduates, and thousands of students are now entering career paths they have spent years learning for. The H-1B visa, given its requirement for the equivalent of a US bachelor’s degree or higher, presents direct competition for these students.

If Trump wants to boost the American economy and jobs, he shouldn’t allow American businesses to undercut the nation’s educated workforce with external hires. An “America first” policy doesn’t work when you prioritize importing outside workers because they’re cheaper. Instead, focus on hiring the hundreds of thousands of Americans actively pursuing these career paths.

Matt Herrick is a freshman history major from Bay Shore, New York. Matt can be reached at [email protected].