Microsoft President Warns White House Green-Card Restrictions Threaten US Tech Competitiveness

Microsoft President Brad Smith warned that administration curbs on green-card access for skilled foreign workers could cripple the U.S. technology sector for more than a generation. The comments follow an administrative order barring Microsoft and seven other major corporations from seeking green cards for foreign personnel, initiated after Vice President JD Vance announced crackdowns on Microsoft's sponsorship practices. Smith rejected allegations of H-1B visa abuse as completely off base, noting that Microsoft hired more than 9,000 U.S.-born workers over the past year and maintains identical compensation across all employees regardless of immigration status.