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Newsmakers of the Week DECEMBER 12, 2025 | The Indian Eye 22

NEWSMAKERS OF THE WEEK

Selected stories about Indian diaspora from our website www.theindianeye.com

ELON MUSK MAMTA SINGH

Billionaire says US benefited Community leader is elected to

immensely from talented Indians Jersey City Council

ashington, DC: Amid ongoing discussions about immigration poli-
cies and the importance of attracting global talent, Tesla CEO Elon ersey City, NJ: Jersey City’s runoff election on December 2 delivered a
WMusk acknowledged the significant contributions of Indian talent historic first: the election of Mamta Singh as Council At-Large, making
to the United States, noting that the country has significantly benefited from Jher the first Indian American ever elected to public office in the city’s his-
skilled Indians. tory. While James Solomon’s sweeping mayoral victory dominated headlines,
In an interview with Nikhil Kamath, Co-Founder of Zerodha, Musk dis- Singh’s breakthrough carries profound significance for a city shaped by one of
cussed immigration policies and entrepreneurship. the nation’s largest Indian American communities.
“I think America has benefited immensely from talented Indians who have Singh, a nonprofit leader and community organizer, ran on Solomon’s
come to America. I mean, America’s been an immense beneficiary of talent “Team Solomon” slate. Her platform — stable property taxes, stronger ser-
from India,” he said. vices for working families, and more recreation options for youth — resonat-
Musk’s comments highlight the value of diversity and the impact of Indian ed across diverse neighborhoods. But her rise is rooted not only in policy but
professionals in various sectors, including technology and innovation. Many in- in more than a decade of grassroots work that made her a trusted presence in
dividuals of Indian origin have made significant contributions to the US econo- Jersey City’s civic life.
my, driving growth and innovation. She founded JCFamilies, one of Jersey City’s most influential community
He emphasised the need for balanced immigration policies, criticising organizations supporting women, children, and working parents. She also cre-
the Biden administration’s lack of border controls. “I think there are different ated Indians In Jersey City, a group devoted to immigrant support and cultur-
schools of thought. It’s not unanimous, but under the Biden administration, it al connection. Through these efforts, Singh built bridges across communities
was basically a total free-for-all with like no border controls. Unless you’ve got — from long-time residents to new immigrants seeking belonging.
border controls. So you had massive amounts of illegal immigration under Biden, Her election marks a long-awaited milestone for Jersey City’s tens of
and actually, it also had like somewhat of a negative selection effect,” he said. thousands of Indian American residents, who have helped define the city’s
Musk said that open borders were detrimental as they allowed even crimi- cultural and economic landscape yet had never seen one of their own elected
nals to enter the US. “If there’s a massive financial incentive to come to the US to City Hall. For many, Singh’s win represents overdue visibility and a shift
illegally and get all these government benefits, then you’re going to necessarily toward leadership that reflects the city’s demographic reality.
create a diffusion gradient for people to come to the US. It’s an incentive struc- Singh’s victory came alongside Solomon’s decisive win over former Gov.
ture that obviously made no sense. Like, you got to have border controls. It’s Jim McGreevey, whom he defeated with roughly 69 percent of the vote. As
kind of ridiculous not to. Then that’s what the left wants to basically have: open Solomon prepares to take office with a strengthened council, Singh’s presence
borders. It doesn’t matter if someone knows what the situation is; it could be a promises to bring new perspectives — and long-excluded voices — into city
criminal- doesn’t matter,” he said. governance.
Elon Musk addressed concerns that talented immigrants are taking jobs For Jersey City’s Indian American community, Singh’s election is more
from native-born citizens, saying he’s unsure about the validity of this percep- than symbolic. It signals a new chapter in a city celebrated for its diversity: one
tion. Based on his experience, he believes there’s a scarcity of talented people, where representation begins to mirror reality, and where immigrant families
suggesting that skilled immigrants are filling gaps rather than taking jobs. see their experiences reflected in policymaking.
“On the right, you’ve got a perception that somehow their jobs are being Mamta Singh’s ascent is not just a personal achievement; it is a moment
taken by talented people from other countries. I don’t know how real that is. My of pride and possibility for Jersey City — a reminder that its future leadership
direct observation is that there’s always a scarcity of talented people,” he said. can finally look like the city itself. Continued on next page... >>

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