With Unemployment Rising, Is It Time to Stop Hiring Foreign Workers?

Associated Press ^ | 2009-02-06 | Frank Bass et al

[QenBirQeni]

I disagree. When it comes to customer service jobs, you may be correct because they do not require a physical presence in the United States. However, two years ago Americans were content that immigrants were staffing many landscaping businesses as well as the service industry, as well as farming (among many other industries). Take a look around and tell me that immigrant labor is not in demand since they will work for lower wages. Maybe demand for immigrant labor has softened during the past two years, but I see many instances of it where I am. I live in Texas, and immigrant labor is the norm down here. In 2006, 22% of all construction workers were foreign born, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistic. Take a look here for some more statistics. Even without consulting the BLS statistics for labor demand, one can still infer the need for immigrant labor.

[libh8er]

a conservative is a liberal who's been mugged? You're about to get mugged.

Protectionism is not conservative. Protectionism is liberal. It's how liberals secure union votes. I know as well as anyone else that times are tough. I am living it myself. But I am taking the conservative way out.

[RegulatorCountry]

However, two years ago Americans were content that immigrants were staffing many landscaping businesses as well as the service industry, as well as farming (among many other industries).

I take it you didn't frequent FR at that time.

[QenBirQeni]

Hey man. I know you’re angry about losing your job. So am I. But I’ll be damned if I take it out on hard working people. If I have to blame anyone it would be Congress!

I know where my allegiance lies. I’m a God fearing man, and I am also an immigrant. I work hard as many people do. I choose America, not hate: I left it back home.

[Non-Sequitur]

The legislation by Sens. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, and Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, would require the banks to seek American workers before turning to foreign nationals when they're hiring.

Theoretically they are supposed to be doing that to begin with since H1Bs are supposed to be people with skill sets unavailable in the domestic job pool. So I don't imagine the banks will have any problems fudging their records and keeping their H1Bs.

[QenBirQeni]

Was busy then. Fill me in please, if you would?

[Non-Sequitur]

Let the best cheapest be hired.

There. Fixed it for you.

[RegulatorCountry]

Protectionism is not conservative. Protectionism is liberal. It's how liberals secure union votes.

You seem to accept a postmodern view of just what constitutes "protectionism," libh8er. When support for "the free market" in the United States began to morph into support for "free markets" worldwide, it became a reason, the reason for erstwhile "conservatives," to knock down national barriers. Supporting the nation is conservative, libh8er. Destroying it is not.

[RegulatorCountry]

Append the word “illegal” to the word “immigrant,” and go do a keyword search yourself.

[MahatmaGandu]

Let the immigrants find work in their own countries. And if my government won’t put my interests FIRST then I will work to see that government either voted out of office or overthrown if necessary. And while I may seem radical right now just wait a year and my voice will absolutely be lost in the chorus.

[QenBirQeni]

Given the H1B rules banks don't really have to prove skill sets. I don't know of an instance when banks were ever asked to prove it. Now:Hm, Barnie Franks of all people is grilling CEOs of the nation's largest banks who are testifying on the use of TARP money. The irony of it...

[hedgetrimmer]

I am competing for jobs for which hordes of other H1-B's are competing as well.

Don't waste your time. Those job descriptions are written specifically to hire h1-Bs. They don't want you.

[QenBirQeni]

Your getting hung up on semantics, since immigrants (legal or otherwise) know that companies will hire them regardless of status, it is a mute point to argue.

I know many small businesses here which have employed illegal aliens. But regulators don't care, therefore companies don't care. Thus, illegal immigrants flow in to fill that need for cheap labor.

[QenBirQeni]

You’re being sarcastic right, because that comment just doesn’t make sense? Didn’t the Austrians and Germans argue the same before WWI and WWII?

[RegulatorCountry]

Your getting hung up on semantics, since immigrants (legal or otherwise) know that companies will hire them regardless of status, it is a mute point to argue.

So says you, not exactly a disinterested party. Laws are mere semantics to you, huh? Are you a U. S. citizen, QenBirQeni?

[Reeses]

Bailed out Citigroup has over 6,000 H1B Visa guest workers, displacing Americans who are left to collect unemployment and are not paying into social security. The guest workers average salary is $93,500. If we sent these guest workers home now it would take the edge off our recession.

At this time we need a hefty tax disincentive applied to companies that send American jobs offshore or import guest workers.

[RegulatorCountry]

Didn’t the Austrians and Germans argue the same before WWI and WWII?

Bzzzzt. Godwin's Law by inference. You lose.

[QenBirQeni]

Awesome, seeing how I worked for a bank, and I, and others, did lose my job, presumably to a H1B, say my sources!

[QenBirQeni]

Maybe so, if it were not for the fact that I’m in the middle of reading “The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich.”

[RegulatorCountry]

Well, congratulations. But, you’re just getting around to that?