Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in his India trip, took some time to speak to the assembled media in New Delhi. There, he took a rather loaded question about the United States revamping its immigration system; Secretary Rubio hit back in no uncertain terms.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio pushed back against criticism of President Donald Trump's immigration reform as Indian officials and media raised concerns that U.S. visa and immigration reforms may curb migration from India.
"What I want to leave clear is that the changes, while they may be having a disproportionate impact on a place like India that provides so many high-skilled workers to the U.S. economy, it is not a system that is targeted at India," Rubio said during a Sunday news conference in New Delhi, India. "It is one that’s being applied globally."
This is what an America-first policy looks like, in case anyone hadn't noticed.
"Everything that you do as a country needs to be in your national interest, and that includes your immigration policy," Rubio continued. "The United States, I believe, is the most welcoming country in the world on immigration."
"Every single year, a million people, roughly, become permanent residents of the United States and contribute greatly," he said.
In my previous career as a corporate consultant to the medical device, biotech and pharmaceutical industries, I had occasion to work with quite a few H1B visa holders, mostly from India. They were about like any group of young engineers and quality management people you would work with anywhere; some good, some not so good, some awful. There were usually some language barriers, but those can be dealt with.
It's impossible, though, not to take notice that too many American corporations, especially in the tech sector, have taken some cynical advantage of how wide-open this system has been. It's overdue for a reform.
Read More: New H-1B Overhaul: Trump Targets Tech Visas
SecState Drops Update: Big Progress on Iran Peace Deal
That's what Secretary Rubio describes:
"The changes that are happening now or the modernization of our migration system into the United States is not focused – it’s not India-specific; it is global," Rubio stressed. "It’s being applied across the world."
"We are in a period of modernization, and I’ll be frank and honest with you, because it’s important to talk about this: We’ve had a migratory crisis in the United States," he said. "This is not because of India, but broadly, we had over 20 million people illegally enter the United States over the last few years, and we’ve had to address that challenge."
In other words, it's not just India. It's the whole world. It's America first, and the various visa and immigration systems, badly overdue for a re-examination, are being reworked to prioritize the wants and needs of American workers, American businesses, and the American economy.
Apparently, India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, isn't too concerned about all this. The State Department's official press release, issued on Saturday, made no mention of American immigration policy or visa issuing.
America first. This is what we voted for. This is what we should get. The fact that we also got the best SecState of my lifetime is a bonus.
Editor's Note: Do you enjoy RedState's conservative reporting that takes on the radical left and woke media? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth.
Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member