US Senator Bernie Sanders has leveled strong criticism against Elon Musk, accusing the tech billionaire of exploiting the H-1B visa system to employ low-wage foreign workers such as Indians instead of employing high-skilled American workers. have put. Sanders’ statement comes amid a heated debate over the use of the H-1B visa program, which allows US companies to hire skilled workers from abroad.

Sanders, a longtime workers’ rights advocate, said in a statement Thursday that Musk’s support for the H-1B visa program is not about filling a talent shortage, but about reducing labor costs. Is. The influential US politician also argued that major companies like Tesla are using the program to replace good-paying American jobs with cheap labor from countries like India. He said this hurts local workers and benefits billionaires.

“Elon Musk is wrong,” Sanders posted on Twitter. Added. Sanders called for reforming the program so that American workers are not displaced.

Musk, who has long defended the use of H-1B visas, recently said the US lacks high-skilled tech workers, making foreign talent essential for companies like Tesla and SpaceX. He highlighted that many of the engineers who helped build these companies came to the US through the H-1B program. However, Sanders refuted this argument, saying that Tesla laid off more than 7,500 US workers earlier this year despite continuing to employ H-1B visa holders.

Sanders further questioned Tesla’s hiring practices, noting that some H-1B visa holders were employed in roles such as associate accountants and mechanical engineers with salaries that do not reflect the highly specialized positions they hold. Musk claims that the program has been made for this. Sanders claimed that such positions should first be filled by qualified American workers.

The debate over the H-1B program has intensified in recent weeks, with political figures such as Laura Loomer and Steve Bannon criticizing the program for not prioritizing American workers. Meanwhile, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, a close ally of Musk, has defended the need for foreign workers, arguing that the US should reform its education system to produce a highly skilled workforce capable of filling these roles.

Musk has also made it clear that he supports the H-1B visa program as the US is facing a shortage of top-tier engineering talent. Former President Donald Trump also expressed support for the H-1B visa, saying that America needs to attract smart individuals to strengthen its economy.