Silicon Valley relies heavily on skilled immigrant labor, with the H-1B visa program enabling foreign workers to fill critical roles, though it faces criticism for exploitation and limiting workers' independence.

While some tech leaders, including Elon Musk, advocate for a more business-friendly visa system, others highlight the program's flaws, such as long waits for green cards and its impact on wages.

Indian workers, who make up the majority of H-1B recipients, often face discrimination and are the most affected by the system's shortcomings. Some skilled immigrants, frustrated by the uncertainty, return to India to build companies, potentially shifting innovation away from the US.

This raises broader concerns about America's ability to maintain its technological leadership as immigration policies evolve.

This video summary was created by AI from the original DW script. It was edited by a journalist before publication.