“I’m not sure if you know this, but my partner Shivon is half Indian,” Musk stated during the conversation. He further elaborated, “One of my sons with her, his middle name is Sekhar after Chandrasekhar.” The astrophysicist S Chandrasekhar was honored with the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1983 for his significant theoretical studies concerning the structure and evolution of stars.

Regarding Zilis’s connection to India, Musk clarified that her roots are ancestral rather than cultural. “She grew up in Canada,” he explained. “I think her father was like an exchange student at the university or something like that. I’m not sure the exact details, but she was given up for adoption when she was a baby and grew up in Canada.”

Shivon Zilis is a distinguished professional in the tech and artificial intelligence sectors. She has been instrumental at Neuralink since 2017, currently serving as the director of operations and special projects. Prior to Neuralink, Zilis, who studied economics and philosophy at Yale University, had a notable career including positions at IBM, Bloomberg, and the venture capital firm Bloomberg Beta.

Zilis is a mother to four children with Elon Musk, including twins Strider and Azure (born 2021), daughter Arcadia (born 2024), and their youngest son, Seldon Lycurgus. Musk has additional children with other partners.

In related comments, Musk also spoke about the significant contributions of Indian talent to the United States, particularly in the context of the H-1B visa program. He acknowledged that while some misuse of the visa system exists, particularly by outsourcing companies, the program itself should not be terminated, emphasizing the immense benefits the US has derived from hiring skilled Indian professionals.

The alterations were mandated by President Donald Trump through a proclamation issued on September 19th. The rationale behind the increased fees was the perceived misuse of the H-1B visa program, which the administration believed was exploited to replace American workers with lower-paid, less-skilled foreign labor. The proclamation was slated to take effect within 36 hours, catching employers off guard.

The lawsuit, lodged in a federal court in San Francisco, argues that the H-1B program is critical for the recruitment of healthcare professionals, educators, and contributes to innovation and economic development within the United States, facilitating the employment of specialized workers. The Democracy Forward Foundation and the Justice Action Center have jointly stated that without relief from the visa changes, hospitals could lose doctors, religious institutions could lose their clergy, schools could lose teachers, and entire industries could be at risk of losing their key innovators. They are seeking immediate intervention to halt the order and restore normal operations for employers and employees, branding the fee increase as an anti-immigration tactic.

Critics of the H-1B visa program argue that it facilitates the entry of foreign workers, often willing to work for salaries as low as $60,000 per annum, while American tech workers typically earn upwards of $100,000. Historically, H-1B visas have been granted through a lottery system. In the current year, Amazon, headquartered in Seattle, received the most visas (over 10,000), followed by Tata Consultancy, Microsoft, Apple, and Google. California has the highest concentration of H-1B workers.

American University Professors Association President Todd Wolfson expressed concern that the $100,000 fee could deter talented individuals from seeking opportunities in the U.S. and hinder life-saving research efforts. Furthermore, the Regional Director of the United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, Mike Miller, stated that the Trump administration’s plan prioritizes wealth and connections over scientific capability and hard work. Democracy Forward President Skye Perryman asserts the high fees could encourage corruption and are illegal, as the H-1B program was established by Congress and is not subject to unilateral changes or fee imposition via executive order.

In response, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson defended the administration’s position, emphasizing that the order is legally sound. She indicated that the measure seeks to prevent entities from exploiting the system and suppressing American wages.

The H-1B program plays a pivotal role by permitting U.S. employers to recruit foreign specialists in sectors such as technology, healthcare, and education. Tech companies are highly reliant on the visa program for bringing in international talent. Each year, 65,000 visas are issued, with an additional 20,000 reserved for those holding advanced degrees. These visas are generally valid for three to six years. As per government data, India leads in the program, with 71% of approvals last year, while China had 11.7%. Employers already pay fees ranging from $2,000 to $5,000, depending on factors like company size. The Trump order would increase the cost to approximately 8.8 million rupees per new H-1B hire.

The White House statement further disclosed that a third company received 25,075 H-1B visa permissions and reduced its American workforce by 27,000 since 2022. Additionally, another company, despite obtaining 1,137 H-1B visa permissions for fiscal year 2025, cut 1,000 American jobs in February. American IT employees were allegedly forced to train foreign workers in an illegal manner.

Trump has been promoting the ‘America First’ policy since the election campaign. The rise in H-1B visa fees is believed to increase the cost for American companies to bring in professionals from abroad, prompting them to give opportunities to American workers, thereby prioritizing American job offers.

The implications of this new rule are substantial, with the Indian IT sector expected to be hit the hardest. Major companies like Amazon and Microsoft have advised employees to avoid international travel. This move might also redirect demand towards alternative visa options such as the L-1 and O-1 visas. There is a potential for disruption in the US tech and STEM immigration pipeline. Legal challenges are anticipated, similar to the challenges that arose from the 2017 travel ban. The order is a presidential proclamation, carrying the force of law until overturned by a court.

Amazon, in its internal note, advised H-1B visa holders currently in the United States to stay and urged those outside the US to return before the September 21 deadline at 12:00 AM EDT. The company stated, “If you have H-1B status and are in the US, stay in the country for now.” They further recommended that H-1B and H-4 visa holders return to the US before the specified deadline.

Similarly, Microsoft issued an internal email with a similar advisory. Microsoft stated that H-1B and H-4 visa holders should stay in the US for the foreseeable future and strongly recommended they return before the deadline. “H-1B visa holders should stay in the US for the foreseeable future,” the email stated. “We also recommend H-4 visa holders remain in the US. We strongly recommend that all H-1B and H-4 visa holders return to the US by tomorrow, before the deadline,” it added.

The warnings are in response to President Trump’s new presidential proclamation titled “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers.” This proclamation imposes a $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visa applications. The measure, effective September 21, seeks to address what the administration perceives as abuse of the H-1B program, particularly by IT outsourcing firms. These firms are accused of displacing American workers and suppressing wages.

The proclamation asserts that the original purpose of the H-1B program, which was to bring in highly skilled foreign talent, has been distorted. The administration claims that low-wage, entry-level H-1B hires have harmed American graduates and highlights national security concerns, citing investigations into visa fraud and money laundering involving companies heavily reliant on the program. The order now mandates that employers provide proof of payment when filing H-1B petitions, with enforcement overseen by the US Departments of State and Homeland Security. Limited exemptions are available for cases considered to be in the national interest.

Musk’s claims center on the belief that Apple’s partnership with OpenAI creates an unfair advantage, making it challenging for competitors to develop and scale AI chatbots and super-apps. He asserts that Apple’s App Store rules are being used to suppress competition. Musk argues that this partnership prevents iPhone users’ data from reaching outside companies, thereby stifling the growth of AI-based super-apps. He views this situation as a collaborative effort between two entities with monopolistic tendencies.