Microsoft Chief Warns Trump’s Migrant Crackdown Could Cripple US Tech

Microsoft President Brad Smith warned Wednesday that President Donald Trump’s restrictions on skilled immigrants’ access to permanent residency could damage the U.S. technology industry for more than a generation.

Speaking to POLITICO’s Decoded at the International AI Summit in Dublin, Smith challenged the administration’s case against Microsoft and warned that its approach could steer leading engineers toward other countries.

His intervention followed Vice President JD Vance’s announcement less than a week earlier that Microsoft and seven other companies would be barred from seeking green cards for skilled foreign employees.

Vance accused Microsoft of fraud, alleging that it uses the H-1B visa program to recruit foreign workers at lower salaries than Americans.

A Warning on Talent

Smith argued that Washington risked weakening the country’s ability to attract the next generation of AI and software engineering specialists.

He pointed to the administration’s decision to honor Microsoft Chief Executive Satya Nadella, who came from India through the H-1B program, on the same day it targeted the company’s foreign workforce.

Five of the six Americans receiving the technology and science medals had immigrated to the U.S., Smith said.

Their companies together accounted for more than 25% of the S&P 500’s total market value, he added.

“Think about what those five individuals have done for the well-being, even the wealth and standard of living, of Americans across the country. Let’s not put that at risk.”

Microsoft Disputes Fraud Allegations

Smith described Vance’s accusations as “completely off base,” arguing that the vice president had received inaccurate information about Microsoft’s applications.

Most of the company’s green card requests concerned existing employees who had worked there for years, Smith said.

Lengthy processing backlogs explained why those workers were still seeking permanent residency.

He also rejected the allegation that Microsoft uses foreign recruitment to reduce salaries.

“It doesn’t matter whether you came on a visa or you’re an American worker, everybody has the same compensation system.”

Microsoft hired more than 9,000 U.S.-born workers last year, Smith said, accusing the administration of omitting those recruits from its account of the company’s employment practices.

He urged White House officials to reassess the figures. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on his remarks.

Support for AI Restrictions

Smith’s criticism of immigration policy came alongside support for the administration’s approach to AI safety.

He praised the export controls Washington imposed on Anthropic’s new AI models during the summer, crediting the White House with decisive action to pause releases over public safety concerns.

Microsoft also supported strong AI regulation and an international safety framework, he said.