How Trump’s Win Affects Silicone Valley

Immigration in Silicon Valley has always been a major battleground because of what it means to the tech industry. As most know, Silicone Valley is the epicenter of technology, not just in the United States, but in the entire world. This small stretch of land from San Jose California and Palo Alto, California has been the birthplace of almost every tech giant; Facebook, Google, Apple, eBay, Netflix, Tesla, EA Games, and more. Though the types of immigrants in Silicon Valley are not typically the ones that require same day release bonds in the sense that they are legal, a republican majority could mean a difficult time immigrating legally. It also could mean that these talented individuals’ families will either have to leave or face a long legalization process.  

The clear majority of leading STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) professionals in the United States immigrated from other countries. Immigration in Silicon Valley is very important, and is the reason why big names like Microsoft’s Bill Gates and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg are so outspoken and in favor of a simple and inviting immigration policy. Rather than the need for same-day release bonds, Silicon Valley moguls want to avoid immigration detention altogether.  

Of course, no one is certain of the changes a Republican house, senate and presidency will have on immigration policy, but the likelihood of stricter immigration reforms is high. The main concern for most Silicon Valley companies has been the expansion of H-1B visas, which will probably take a backseat to an agenda geared towards a strengthening of immigration restrictions.