It's interesting how perspectives can shift, especially with figures like Musk at the forefront. While his stance on H1-Bs may seem bold, the irony of his own immigration story adds an intriguing layer to the debate. It's true that the future of immigration policies could change depending on political dynamics, but for now, it does seem like Musk's influence could have an impact. The uncertainty ahead, with shifting advice from all corners, definitely keeps things unpredictable. Let's see how it all unfolds in the coming months!

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that Musk is concerned about getting his fill of:

1) "hardcore" engineers, who I suspect aren't necessarily h1bs, but h1bs are the cudgel to motivate his workforce, and a safety net if they all tell Musk to go fly a rocket and quit.

2) inexpensive engineers; Musk is notoriously cost-conscious. I remember a humorous story about his left-wing anti-establishment wife who complained that she had to eat peanut butter sandwiches in a modest home. I guess she figured if she was selling out she deserved a palace and caviar. But to the point, Musk is incredibly frugal and cost-oriented. H1b satisfies his need for cheap talent, provides a safety net (point 1) and downward cost pressure (point 2) for non-h1b engineers.

Now if we could only start out-sourcing our CEOs....