Journalism of Courage
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday acknowledged that he has been criticised by several “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) supporters for his stance on skilled immigrants, that they should be allowed to work in the country but the president stood by his stance and said that high-tech skilled workers are needed to support the expansion of advanced domestic manufacturing, AP reported.
Trump, who has been in the headlines for his immigration crackdowns and making hardline immigration policies, told an audience of business executives at the US-Saudi Investment Forum in Washington that America needs immigrants who can train domestic workers in high-tech factories and pressed that doing so is not getting away from his core political beliefs.
“I love my conservative friends. I love MAGA. But this is MAGA,” Trump said during the address at the forum which he attended alongside Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who is on a visit to the US. “Those people are going to teach our people how to make computer chips, and in a short period of time, our people are going to be doing great. And those people can go home,” the US president added.
The comments by Trump drew applause in the room, though last week the Republican leader had sparred with Fox News host Laura Ingraham over the same issue. Ingraham had suggested during the interview with Trump that “you can’t flood the country with tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands, of foreign workers,” to which the US president had responded “You also do have to bring in talent.”
When Ingraham responded that the US had “plenty of talented people here,” Trump said “No, you don’t,” and added that “people have to learn.” This exchange drew sharp criticism from the conservatives and MAGA supporters who have opposed H-1B visa expansion and other schemes of the administration that let skilled immigrants enter into the US and let them stay in the country.
(with inputs from AP)
