Republican political strategist Gavin Wax wants Silicon Valley jobs to be legally reserved for Americans; says: it's a matter of ….
Republican political strategist
Gavin Wax
has sparked fierce online debate after declaring that
Silicon Valley jobs
should be "legally reserved for US citizens," calling the tech hub a "strategic national asset" whose workforce poses potential national security risks when dominated by foreign workers.
Wax, former president of the New York Young Republicans and recently appointed chief of staff to FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington, made the controversial statement amid ongoing tensions over the
H-1B visa program
that allows skilled foreign workers to take
American jobs
.
The debate reflects broader tensions within conservative circles over
immigration policy
. While national-security-focused conservatives like Wax advocate for restricting foreign workers, tech advocates including Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have defended H-1B visas as essential for maintaining America's competitive edge.
Critics question Wax's understanding of Silicon Valley demographics
Social media users quickly challenged Wax's proposal, pointing out that foreign-born workers comprise 60-70% of Silicon Valley's
tech workforce
. "Tell me you've never stepped foot in the valley without telling me you've never stepped foot in the valley," one user commented. Another quipped, "If that would be the case,
Silicon Valley
would be called a Stupid Valley."
Users countered Wax's argument by listing prominent immigrant entrepreneurs: "Steve Jobs: son of a Syrian immigrant. Jeff Bezos: father is a Cuban immigrant. Sergey Brin: Soviet immigrant, born in Moscow. Jensen Huang: Taiwanese immigrant. Elon Musk: South African immigrant." One commenter noted the irony that such a policy "would have kept Canadian Elon Musk out," adding that "American policy is to hire the best."
One critic drew parallels to diversity policies, arguing, "If you're only allowing US citizens, that's no better than DEI and fast tracking mediocrity," suggesting that merit-based hiring regardless of origin should be the priority. Another user questioned whether limiting talent pools would "cripple your strategic assets," noting that America appeared "currently good at that."
Elon Musk came in support of H-1B visa earlier, said its important for the US
Musk, who himself migrated from South Africa on an H-1B visa, recently called the system "broken" but argued it could be "easily fixed" by raising minimum salaries and adding yearly costs to make overseas hiring more expensive than domestic recruitment. Ramaswamy echoed support for elite talent importation, arguing that American culture has celebrated "mediocrity over excellence."
The internal MAGA dispute escalated when Musk warned of a "
MAGA civil war
" and vowed to "go to war" on the H-1B issue, while Trump ultimately sided with the tech leaders, telling The New York Post he was "a believer in H-1B" and had "used it many times."
Recent USCIS data shows 2026 H-1B applications at their lowest levels, though MAGA activists remain disappointed that the Trump administration hasn't completely halted the program. Trump himself has recently expressed support for allowing foreign students to work in America after graduation, including those from China.
Wax's appointment to the FCC earlier this year marked a significant shift toward more aggressive conservative policy positions within the commission, aligning with Chairman Brendan Carr's combative approach to tech regulation and content moderation issues.
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