Overview
- In a Fox News interview, President Trump said the U.S. lacks “certain talents” and insisted some skilled visas remain necessary.
- He also warned that sharply reducing foreign enrollment would financially gut many colleges, saying international tuition keeps campuses afloat.
- The stance contrasts with ongoing policy moves that include a $100,000 surcharge on many new H‑1B petitions and roughly 175 Department of Labor probes under Project Firewall.
- Trump pointed to an ICE raid at Hyundai’s Georgia battery plant, where hundreds of South Korean contractors were detained, as an example of specialized skills not easily replaced and a source of friction with Seoul.
- The crackdown has drawn lawsuits, including from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and provoked online fury from prominent MAGA figures who labeled his remarks a betrayal.