Indian-American VC's Strong Stance on H-1B Visa Reform
Indian-origin venture capitalist Asha Jadeja Motwani has reinforced her controversial position that the United States must restrict H-1B visas exclusively to the world's elite talent. The prominent investor has doubled down on her view that the program should not serve as a gateway for what she describes as "mediocre" engineering workers from foreign nations to enter America.
Clarifying Her Position on X Platform
Motwani took to social media platform X to eliminate any ambiguity about her stance, emphasizing that while America benefits from attracting top global talent, particularly for its technology sector, the system should not compromise opportunities for native-born Americans. "I do believe that America is doing the right thing by identifying and attracting top talent from around the world, especially for our technology sector," she stated, acknowledging this strategy provides American technology companies with a strategic advantage over foreign competitors, particularly those in China.
However, she drew a clear distinction, asserting that "mediocre engineering talent coming to US on H1B Visas is a bad idea. These positions must go to native born Americans." Motwani further advocated for significantly reducing the number of H-1B visas issued, ensuring they remain reserved for exceptional candidates only.
Political Connections and Personal History
These remarks follow her claims from the previous week where she asserted influence over US President Donald Trump's recent comments regarding the H-1B visa system. Motwani revealed she had engaged in discussions about the value of Indian talent and H-1B visas with both President Trump and Vice President JD Vance within the Trump-Vance circle at Mar-a-Lago.
In a personal reflection, Motwani noted that under today's immigration climate, she and her late husband, Stanford computer science professor Rajeev Motwani, would have faced significant challenges entering the United States. She also criticized wealthy Indian-Americans for their failure to effectively lobby for India's interests in Washington.
The venture capitalist maintains that while the United States gains strategic benefits from welcoming exceptional Indian talent, the system must not be diluted. This ongoing debate has stirred the Republican base following Trump's Fox News interview earlier this month, where he acknowledged America's need for skilled foreign workers in technology and defense sectors due to insufficient domestic talent.
The President's remarks were perceived by many in the MAGA movement as a departure from the America First agenda, contributing to the subsequent conflict that led to Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene's decision to quit amid her feud with the President.
