Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, shared in a podcast with Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath that America has gained greatly from the talent of Indian professionals. However, he commented that some anti-immigration policies in the U.S. were a result of the misuse of the H-1B visa system and a lack of proper border control during previous administrations.
Recent changes in U.S. immigration policy have impacted many Indians who had hopes of pursuing higher education, better careers, and improved living standards in America. Musk emphasized the importance of having border controls to maintain the country’s integrity. He criticized the Biden administration for a lack of border regulation, suggesting it encouraged illegal immigration for financial benefits and created an unhealthy incentive structure.
Musk also addressed fears about immigrants taking American jobs, stating that such concerns may be overblown. He pointed out the ongoing struggle to find enough talented individuals to meet the demands of complex projects, and emphasized that more skilled people are always welcome.
Personalizing the discussion, Musk shared that his partner, Shivon Zilis, is of Indian descent. He noted that one of their sons has the middle name “Sekhar,” a tribute to Indian-American physicist and Nobel Prize winner Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. Musk added that Shivon grew up in Canada and was adopted as a baby, possibly the child of a foreign exchange student.
Through these insights, Musk highlighted both the value of skilled immigrants and the complexities of immigration policy in the U.S.
