US economist Kenneth Rogoff told NDTV at the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos that the change in H-1B visa policy for high-skilled professionals from India under Trump 2.0 would be “fantastic” for the US because it needs them. .
Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk, who works closely with US President Donald Trump, is in favor of H-1B visas, while his Republican Party colleagues have distanced themselves from the policy.
“…I think it would be fantastic for the United States. I don’t know if it would be fantastic for India,” Mr. Rogoff told NDTV, referring to India’s brain drain problem.
“And, you know, (Joe) Biden seemed to follow Trump’s policy on legal immigration. He didn’t relax it at all. So, yes, we should have a much looser policy on highly educated people who have a lot Contribute,” Mr Rogoff, who is also a former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), told NDTV.
Joe Biden took over as US President in January 2021, four years after Trump 1.0.
“I’m not saying there aren’t people who have less education who don’t have a lot to contribute, but there should be some rational system for all this legal immigration,” Mr. Rogoff said.
On the first day of his second term, President Trump made several important announcements including pardoning 1,500 people involved in the US Capitol riots in January 2021 and returning “millions of criminal aliens to the places they came from”.
“I think there are some people who should not be pardoned. Probably a lot of them should be pardoned. The Democrats made a lot of laws during his tenure, and I think he’s rolling back some of it. But where people hurt someone or someone died, that’s a different matter,” Mr. Rogoff said.
He said the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris border policy was “crazy.”
“I’ve never heard anyone explain this to me,” the economist said. “Legal immigration is great. But you know what? My graduate students who get their PhD, get an offer from a great university or a great job, they can’t stay there because they can’t get a green card. But If you get to the Mexican border illegally, and at least nine million people, maybe 15 million people under Biden, there was no problem.
“In his first term, Trump cut both. It seems like Elon Musk is convincing him that we need talented engineers from India and elsewhere. So it’s a crisis at the southern border. This is Biden’s craziest He said (Trump) is not going to stop immigration. I think there are 20 million people in total under him (Trump 1.0), but he is definitely trying to slow it down. are sending a message to,” Mr. Rogoff said.
on identity politics
On Trump’s announcement that he recognizes only two genders – male and female – Mr. Rogoff agreed that it was a step backward and “we’ve gone to another extreme.”
“Their extremes are also not acceptable. And I don’t think most of the American people support it. I think most of the American people support transgender rights. But it was taken to the point where they didn’t. And So an attempt is being made to find a middle path.” I don’t know what he’s really going to do,” Mr. Rogoff said.
He added, “I don’t think you can turn back the clock. But, you know, he’s obviously saying things that are very hurtful to many people. And it’s ugly and, you know, Not welcome.”
The five-day meeting that began on Monday in Davos is exploring ways to restart growth, harness new technologies and strengthen social and economic resilience, according to the World Economic Forum. Nearly 3,000 leaders from more than 130 countries are participating in the global meeting, including 350 government leaders.
India’s participation in Davos aims to strengthen partnerships, attract investments and position the country as a global leader in sustainable development and technological innovation. India sent five Union Ministers, three Chief Ministers and ministers from several other states to the WEF this time.
