Get your popcorn ready: The GOP’s internal conflicts over immigration are becoming quite entertaining.

While others enjoyed the holiday break, the MAGA universe was unraveling over a discussion about H-1B visas, a program that tech firms often use to bring skilled workers into the U.S. Incoming president Donald Trump chimed in, siding with tech figures Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy against party members who want to halt all immigration.

While it’s amusing to witness the right struggle among themselves, one can’t help but feel concern for what this means for the nation.

The whole issue revolves around the debate of which immigrants are deemed “worthy” of entering the United States. This is compounded by Musk and Ramaswamy, whom Trump has included in his administration, insulting American workers in their statements.

Musk and Ramaswamy provoke the MAGA supporters

The argument began when far-right activist Laura Loomer, seen campaigning for Trump this year, criticized Sriram Krishnan, Trump’s choice for senior policy adviser on artificial intelligence. Krishnan, a tech entrepreneur and naturalized U.S. citizen, has previously advocated for relaxed immigration policies for skilled tech workers.

Loomer labeled Krishnan’s selection as “deeply disturbing” and made a racist comment regarding immigrants from India being “third-world invaders.”

This drew reactions from Musk and Ramaswamy, who will head the Department of Government Efficiency in Trump’s upcoming administration.

“American culture has for too long celebrated mediocrity over excellence (at least since the 90s, and perhaps longer),” Ramaswamy posted on X, previously known as Twitter. “The issue doesn’t start in college; it starts YOUNG. A culture that honors the prom queen over the math olympiad champion, or the athlete over the valedictorian, will not yield the best engineers.”

Ramaswamy, who was born to Indian immigrants in Cincinnati, is also a former Republican presidential candidate.

Musk, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from South Africa, noted that he once held an H-1B visa to work in the U.S., and his electric vehicle company Tesla secured over 700 such visas in 2024.

“The number of genuinely talented engineers who are also highly motivated in the USA is alarmingly low,” Musk stated on X, which he also owns. He then escalated his comments, declaring he would “go to war” over the matter.

Critics of the H-1B visas, including Loomer, claim that their verification badges have been removed from X.

Musk, who spread false information about undocumented immigrants during Trump’s reelection bid, is now advocating for an immigration program that pays off for him.

The H-1B program has faced backlash for enabling tech leaders to recruit foreign workers at lower wages than they would have to pay American laborers.

Ultimately, this is a conflict of egos, showing little concern for the welfare of American or immigrant workers.

Republicans lack a genuine commitment to enhancing education

Unsurprisingly, these remarks sparked outrage within other factions of the Republican coalition.

“It is lazy for the tech industry to automatically turn to foreign workers for their staffing needs,” said former presidential candidate Nikki Haley, a child of Indian immigrants and former South Carolina governor and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, in a post on X. “If tech companies require workers, they should invest in our education system and our American workforce.”

Haley is partially correct – the solution should be Rather than labeling American workers as lazy, the focus should shift towards enhancing the education system. This perspective, however, clashes with Trump’s suggested approach to abolish the U.S. Department of Education, an action that could exacerbate existing disparities within our education framework.

In recent years, state Republicans have criticized public education, putting their efforts into undermining diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, and banning books, rather than seeking to actually enhance education.

Trump favors billionaires

In the end, Musk’s disagreements with MAGA didn’t faze Trump. Over the weekend, Trump expressed support for Musk’s hiring of H-1B visa workers at his properties, although it’s speculated that he may have confused certain visa categories.

“I’ve always favored visa programs; that’s why they exist,” Trump told the New York Post. Interestingly, he had previously imposed restrictions on H-1B visas during his first term.

This scenario illustrates Trump’s alignment with the wealthier class, despite the discontent expressed by the constituents who supported him.

This is the same individual who has advocated for what he claims would be the “largest deportation operation in American history.” He has also discussed abolishing birthright citizenship and reintroducing family detention practices.

His campaign for reelection notably centered around the theme that immigrants are detrimental to the country. Yet, it appears he is accepting of immigrants when it serves his financial interests.

The ongoing dialogue about H-1B visas serves as a reminder to the American populace that they have once again been misled by a con artist who has no genuine intention of improving their circumstances. The entire situation unfolding in the public eye is not benefitting America at all.

But no need for concern – it seems likely that Trump, Musk, and the Republican Party will resume their criticism of immigrants shortly.