In an interview with host Laura Ingraham that aired November 10 on “The Ingraham Angle,” President Donald Trump argued that the United States needs to “bring in talent” through the H-1B program. When Ingraham pressed the president, asserting “we have plenty of talented people here,” Trump flatly disagreed.
“No, you don’t, no you don’t,” Trump responded. “You don’t have certain talents, and people have to learn. You can’t take people off an unemployment line and say, ‘I’m going to put you into a factory where we’re going to make missiles.'”
Trump pointed to a September 4 ICE raid at the Hyundai-LG Energy Solution battery plant in Georgia, where federal agents detained approximately 475 workers, including more than 300 South Korean nationals. The operation targeted workers suspected of visa violations at the still-under-construction electric vehicle battery facility near Savannah.
“In Georgia, they raided because they wanted illegal immigrants out—they had people from South Korea that made batteries all their life,” Trump said during the interview. “You know, making batteries is very complicated. It’s not an easy thing. Very dangerous, a lot of explosions, a lot of problems. They had like 500 or 600 people, early stages, to make batteries and to teach people how to do it. Well, they wanted them to get out of the country. You’re going to need that, Laura.”
The president had previously criticized the Georgia raid, telling reporters traveling with him to South Korea that he was “very much opposed” to the enforcement action. The incident strained U.S.-South Korea diplomatic relations and raised concerns about foreign investment in American manufacturing.
On September 19, Trump signed an executive order imposing a $100,000 application fee for new H-1B visa petitions filed on or after September 21, 2025. The proclamation cited “systemic abuse” of the program and claimed it was fueling the “large-scale replacement of American workers.”
The previous fee structure typically ranged from approximately $2,000 to $5,000 per application, depending on company size.
The executive order, which remains in effect through September 21, 2026, applies only to new H-1B petitions filed for beneficiaries outside the United States or those requesting consular processing. Current H-1B workers are exempt from the fee.
The H-1B visa program allows U.S. companies to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations for an initial period of three years, which can be extended to six years. The program has an annual cap of 65,000 applicants, with an additional 20,000 slots reserved for those with advanced degrees from U.S. institutions. When applications exceed the cap, the government uses a lottery system to randomly select eligible applicants.
The technology industry accounts for approximately 60% to 70% of all new H-1B applications in recent years, with other top industries including consulting, engineering, healthcare, and higher education.
In 2025, the Trump Organization requested a record number of foreign workers—184 in total—to staff various company properties, including golf clubs and resorts. These requests were made through the H-2B visa program, which allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers for seasonal, non-agricultural jobs when there is a shortage of American workers.
