[QenBirQeni]

I would imagine that left alone banks would seek the cheapest labor possible. Given the current state of the economy and job market with unemployment surpassing 7% and climbing, it is only natural that wages will go down as long as prices remain depressed.

[libh8er]

No. Hiring only domestic is the same as protectionism. Let the best be hired.

[MahatmaGandu]

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

ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!

[dfwgator]

The problem is, if companies were left without the ability to hire foreign workers, would they just simply shut down, and add all of their workers to the unemployment rolls?

[FarRightFanatic]

WOW - I am surprised to see Bernie Sanders on the right side of ANY issue, much less something that would be good for the country.

There is nothing that drives me more crazy than when I have to call customer service and I get someone who can barely speak English. Drives me up the wall.

It would be nice if we could attach this to ALL employment - Americans first. I’m thinking in the construction industry (home building, roofing, masonry, etc.) especially.

[UCFRoadWarrior]

There is no reason to hire non-Americans when the unemployment rate is as high as it is.

The only reason anyone hires a foreign worker is for cheaper labor...not because they are more productive. In the end Americans not only get shafted out of a job....but Americans also get sub-standard service

[Constitutions Grandchild]

Nah. They’re willing to collect the unemployment benefits America is running out of and has to borrow money to pay.

I warned of this. It’s just a matter of immigration law reform when everything is going well. When things aren’t so swell, it becomes a matter of survival — then what do we do with them.

Dummies, dummies, dummies. If you can’t think, run for office.

[Constitutions Grandchild]

Oh, and those H-1Bs that were in such demand are now being laid-off, haven't yet gotten their green cards and are scrambling to find another hole in the immigration law that will allow them to stay.

These were the folks who did it the right way and this crisis has made their lives unbearable. That's right, don't listen, drag your feet on doing something about this mess, but let's rush through the Stimulus Bill.

[Red in Blue PA]

I think this is one article in which the headline answers the question posed.

[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.

[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.