Doesn't everybody?

It's not even that. It makes people less blindly compliant to authority, and that's absolutely unacceptable to Republicans.

Let's not act as if Republicans are the only ones doing this mate.

Also the beauty of H1B visa people is that because they have to leave the country (or find another job) in 30 days in the even that they get fired, it means they are perfect for assholes like that billionaire. "Agree to do this or go back to that shit hole"

That would assume two things... and both of those require education. As trump famously said last goddamn time... he loves the uneducated.

Exclusion?

I got a computer science degree because I got into computers as a kid and I was good with them. When I apply for a job it feels like like I'm competing with half the planet. It took 2 years to get the current job I have at an MSP and I've been applying for new jobs for a year now. I can count the times I've been contacted by recruiters over the past year on one hand. There's plenty more in my boat. If we'd known we probably would have had a different major.

I did labor before landing a job with an MSP by the way. I'm in my early 30s with back, neck, and hand problems now and pain that radiates into my hips and legs. You don't get out of labor jobs unscathed.

There's a surplus of STEM labor. It's the trades which are short.

I agree with the general sentiment that STEM scares a lot of Americans.

When I would tell other young women I was an engineering major, I would often hear a similar refrain - "Oh, I could never do that!" And it drove me insane! I am not magically gifted at mental math, I can't do differential equations in my head. And most engineers I know, whether American or foreign, can't do those things either.

A lot of engineering isn't about being freakishly gifted like Elon Musk pretends. It takes gradual development of skills toward an end goal. First, you have to nail down the tools for the work (math, physics, chemistry), then you get to apply those tools to real-world problems. Engineering is problem solving, making mistakes, and being curious enough to keep going.

In short, engineering is about the long game. And didn't become rewarding until around year 3 for me. I took some other classes in subjects to entertain myself and fill my schedule. In the disciplines of archeology, art history, and archetecture. And I called them my sanity classes. They were immediately satisfying, and made me feel like I was learning and not struggling or making those mistakes I made in engineering classes. I think most students enjoy the satisfaction of classes like that. The learning seems more instantaneous and less like a step on a ladder.

Sorry for the diatribe. In short, if you happen to read this as a young person and have the opportunity to study engineering - do it. Try not to go into debt for it, but don't feel excluded because you aren't the best at long division.

As for Musk, I've spoken with a few engineers who worked at his various companies. Everyone has left for other companies because he is a nightmare to work for. Yes, there are gifted engineers from other countries, but Musk wants employees that are tied to him and will work the slavish hours to earn a better life for the next generation of their families. A lot of American engineers are not willing to ignore their families like Musk himself clearly does. There are plenty of other space companies that pay well and aren't run by sociopaths.

I don't think there's is a STEM worker shortage. IIRC, there have been something like 300k tech layoffs in the last couple years. Actual scientists and mathmeticians are extremely underpaid, but a lot of people like doing it, which is one of the reasons "citizen science" is becoming popular.