Crisis continues: US may abolish H1-B visa

Economic Times of India ^ | July 13, 2003 | CHIDANAND RAJGHATTA

[sarcasm]

WASHINGTON: The H1-B visa on the chopping block again. A prominent anti- immigration lawmaker has introduced in the US Congress, a Bill that seeks to abolish the visa category that facilitates a large number of skilled Indian professionals take up jobs in the United States.

The move is certain to be opposed by US high-tech companies and many other lawmakers considering that H1-B visa cap is slated to brought down from its peak of nearly 200,000 per year in the year 2000 to its original level of 65,000.

But even that is too much for Congressman Tom Tancredo. Often described as a onetrick pony and a single-issue Congressman, Tancredo has campaigned relentlessly against both illegal and legal

immigration. But as chairman of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus

now, his 15-line Bill aimed at eliminating all visas under H1-B category introduced

this week goes further than he has done before at time when job loss in the United States has roused sentiments against white collar immigration.

The move, if it comes to fruition, will particularly hurt Indian business interests, which used to snag about 50 per cent of all H1-B visas before the current economic downturn in the US and job migration to India brought down the number. The latest report from India’s National Association of Software and Service Companies Nasscom) says India accounted for 77,000 H1-B visas in 2001 but only 33,000 in 2002, and the total is expected drop to 30,000 this year.

More recently, the US has been unable to issue even the reduced quota of H1-B visas despite attempts at farming it out to other non-technical professionals like teachers and nurses.

But immigration of any sort is anathema Tancredo, who last month incurred the wrath of the White House by suggesting that if there was another terrorist attack on the United States, and it was done by someone who had entered the country illegally, ‘‘then the blood of the people that are killed will be on our hands and the president’s.’’

Tancredo’s bill has been spurred by a campaign by US tech workers, who are losing jobs in increasing numbers through a combination of immigration, outsourcing and advancement of technical skills outside US, wage differentials and other factors.

[sarcasm]

ping

[Support Free Republic]

Any way I can talk you into making a donation?? Thanks if you will!

[jocon307]

Forget the Indians, forget the Mexicans, keep the Middle Eastern Males age 15-55 OUT of this country.

[DoughtyOne]

But even that is too much for Congressman Tom Tancredo. Often described as a onetrick pony and a single-issue Congressman, Tancredo has campaigned
relentlessly against both illegal and legal immigration. But as chairman of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus now, his 15-line Bill aimed at eliminating all visas under H1-B category introduced this week goes further than he has done before at time when job loss in the United States has roused sentiments against white collar immigration.

This guy may be writing from India, but he sure has that Washington Post, New York Times, the leftistist media writing style down.

[sarcasm]

May have been an intern at one of those papers.

[w1andsodidwe]

You gotta know that this class of immigrants is least likely to go on welfare, join a labor union, or vote democRAT, therefore they must be stopped.

We must only allow Immigration by those who cannot support themselves and will therefore vote for the democRAT party.

That is what this is all about. Why waste our time allowing people to come to this country who will pay taxes, obey the law, support themselves, and probably vote republican.

[Travis McGee]

ping

[Arkinsaw]

Why waste our time allowing people to come to this country who will pay taxes, obey the law, support themselves, and probably vote republican.

This program was designed to bring high tech workers when there was a shortage during the bubble. The bubble is over. We have high tech workers sitting at home drawing unemployment. More are not needed at this time.

[sarcasm]

The H1-B is not an immigrant visa.

[BJungNan]

Let's see. High tech companies donate millions. Average citizens donate only a little. This one is going nowhere.

[Yeti]

Good. End H1-B visas and tax software that is outsourced offshore as the "foreign-made goods" that it is.

[sarcasm]

There is no distinctly native American criminal class except Congress.

[Jack Black]

H1B visa holders can not vote. Most don't end up getting citizenship. Most go back to India with their training and contracts and start businesses to compete with US Companies.

[Jack Black]

Dear Congressman ,

I am writing to oppose the continuance of the H1B program and other programs of that type.

I have worked in the hi tech industry for 20 years and have seen the effect of this program over that period. In my opinion it is a cynical and successful way that hi tech companies have used to drive down wages, break the market for highly skilled employees, and ultimately sabotage one of the only high wage industries left in the United States.

Clearly, with Oregon facing the highest in the nation rates of unemployment we do not need more Indian and Chinese programmers imported into our state. But that is exactly what big companies like Intel continue to insist we must do.

Please do the right thing and vote no on the continuation of the H1B program and other visa programs used to bring in high tech workers.

[Heatseeker]

You gotta know that this class of immigrants is least likely to go on welfare, join a labor union, or vote democRAT, therefore they must be stopped.

My $0.02:

I'm an IT worker myself and I know there are a lot of cases where Americans have lost jobs to H-1B techies. OTOH, you are absolutely correct - these folks are very smart, have a strong work ethic and good family values (at least those that I've met). And, speaking specifically of Indian H-1B's, there is another advantage - I think most of them are Hindu and are a way of bonding the US and India together. We are natural allies; we've both been afflicted with "the religion of peace". </sarcasm>

What is needed is a more sophisticated visa program. People from societies who support the war on Islamicist terrorism - OK. People from societies who don't - go to the back of the line.

[Brian S]

bttt...

[w1andsodidwe]

H1B visa holders can not vote. Most don't end up getting citizenship. Most go back to India with their training and contracts and start businesses to compete with US Companies.

Well, I have seen many who do get citizenship (sponsored by the companies they work for here). Obviously Mr Tancredo is chairman of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus .

Don't get me wrong, I work in IT and don't necessarily benefit by their being here, but they are a different class than most.

I am against the open borders we have now, but lets not set our sights only on immigrants who are self supporting, let's make sure that we go after the real bad ones instead of wasting our time on these guys and gals.

[AAABEST]

Let's see. High tech companies donate millions. Average citizens donate only a little. This one is going nowhere.

Heh. That statement is probably as true as it is cynical.

H1Bs are bad enough in an economy such as this one, but did you hear about that guy that worked for Bank of America? They actually had him train his replacement and then let him go. He then went and shot himself.

He was wrong for doing that, but the very next day after reading the story, I closed all of my accounts with BoA and I'm in the process of selling a truck that they hold the paper on. I will never do business with them again, and I've done a bunch in the past.

[pt17]

Well, I have seen many who do get citizenship (sponsored by the companies they work for here).

I've had a bunch myself who've gone on to become good taxpaying citizens - conservative, too. All were looking for freedom and opportunity here, just like my ancestors, and, unlike my ancestors, they had advanced degrees in math and science.