'Bush totally against scrapping H1-B visas'

Indo-Asian News Service ^ | Ela Dutt

[TopQuark]

'Bush totally against scrapping H1-B visas'

By Ela Dutt, Indo-Asian News Service

Tuesday September 16, 10:50 AM

New York, Sep 16 (IANS) U.S. President George W. Bush is reportedly against a critical bill now in Congress that would cut down H1-B visas dramatically, affecting skilled IT and other workers from India.

At a private reception attended by eight Indian Americans in Jackson, Mississippi, Bush vehemently expressed his opposition to House Resolution 2688, a bill introduced by Republican Congressman Tom Tancredo of Colorado, according to those attending the meeting.

Immigration attorney Paresh Shah, who was present at the meeting, said he specifically questioned the president regarding his stand on the bill in which Rep. Tancredo has called for terminating the H1-B visa programme altogether.

"Bush spread his hands as wide apart as possible and stated unequivocally that 'Tancredo and I are at opposite ends of the pole. I fully do not support Congressman Tancredo's bill against H1-Bs'," Shah told IANS.

The Tancredo bill has raised hackles both in India and among Indian Americans and other supporters of the community.

"In fact in India and the U.S. there is an understanding that President Bush supports Tancredo's efforts to close the H1-B programme as Tancredo is a fellow Republican and also because the unemployment figures are so high and many people feel that it is a result of H1-Bs occupying American jobs," Shah said.

But the president's statements prove the opposite, he said. Shah is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) that presented its counter proposal on the H1-B visa reduction programme to the president at the gathering.

The private reception was in honour of the Mississippi Republican gubernatorial candidate Haley Barbour and netted $1.2 million for his campaign.

Besides Bush, other noted luminaries at the reception included former senate majority leader Trent Lott of Mississippi as well as Karl Rove, the president's chief campaign advisor. Sampath Shivangi of Mississippi organised the exclusive Indian American delegation.

The California delegation, besides Shah, included Indo-American Friendship Council chairman Krishna Reddy.

Currently, there are some estimated 900,000 H1-B employees in the U.S., 35-45 percent of whom are from India, according to AILA.

"Judging from the president's strong negative reaction to the Tancredo bill, it's apparent that the president understands that the current unemployment situation in the U.S. is not due to H1-B visa holders taking American jobs," Shah contended.

"As soon as I mentioned the visa, he knew what I was talking about, he knew about the Tancredo bill, he knew what it meant. From his immediate grasp of the H1-B issue, and his strong support for continuing the programme, he understands also that these foreign specialty workers are basically a much needed element of our economy," Shah said.

By implication, some observers contend the president is not going to be against business outsourcing as well.

Beginning October 1, the H1-B visas quota will revert back to the 65,000 per annum level it was before it was raised a few years ago to 195,000.

Shah also submitted AILA's proposal on the L-1 visa programme to counteract the various legislation currently pending in Congress to limit its usage.

"The L-1 Visa programme is heavily used by the Indian community. Last year, Indians comprised 24.4 percent of the worldwide L-1 visas issued, making them by far the number one group of users of this visa programme," Shah stated.

[TopQuark]

Many people seem to be very interested in this issue.

[risk]

The invisible hand at work on a global basis, making all things whole and safe, starting right here at home. [/sarcasm]

[raybbr]

"Judging from the president's strong negative reaction to the Tancredo bill, it's apparent that the president understands that the current unemployment situation in the U.S. is not due to H1-B visa holders taking American jobs," Shah contended.

It may not be the main cause but it sure doesn't help.

[NetValue]

This could be a pivotal election issue. Foreigners occuping high tech jobs when American citizens are out of work IS a big issue. Related, Presidsent Bush seems to support the presence of illegal aliens in the US, seems to be reluctant to control the northern and southern US borders, and also seems to want to put Mexicans here illegally at the head of the line for citizenship. In the face of the economy and the war on terrorism, these positions are politically unacceptable.

[Non-Sequitur]

Maybe the President needs to look at all the H1B and L1 technology workers who can not vote for him and all the out of work technology workers who may not vote for him before he makes promises like this.

[SauronOfMordor]

It may not be the main cause but it sure doesn't help.

900K H1B's, mostly in software, in a job market that the US Bureau of Labor Statistics has as only having 1,878K jobs?

It sure as hell is a major cause.

[Djarum]

Maybe the President needs to look at all the H1B and L1 technology workers who can not vote for him and all the out of work technology workers who may not vote for him before he makes promises like this.

You forgot to work the 'people giving money to him' into that equation.

[SauronOfMordor]

I meant to say, "job market
in the category for computer professionals"

[raybbr]

I agree. It's nasty thing that he's doing not dismantling this outdate program.

(I meant it's not the main cause of unemployment overall.)

[searchandrecovery]

H1-B's, amnesty for illegals (pre-9/11), "free" trade with China - why does Bush hate the middle class?

[marvlus]

Perhaps I'm overlooking something, but what does this bill have to do with the American Indian?

[Non-Sequitur]

Nothing. He wasn't speaking to Amercian Indians (Native Americans), he was speaking to Indian Americans (natives of India living in America).

[TopQuark]

The Indians in question are Oriental.

[fortaydoos]

What about his obligations to the stinking mass of heathens in china and india? Surely he must serve them as well.

[marvlus]

I read one thing (Indian American) and thought another (American Indian). Thanks for setting me straight.

[dogbyte12]

The owners of the companies who are laying off american workers and hiring H1B's are the people writing the biggest campaign contributions. How much money can ya get out of a layed off IT worker anyways?

[q_an_a]

The invisable hand that people miss about the H1B is that folks from India work with folks that have immigrated and India is a socialist country. We are importing their political system, that they think just needs a little work. The are trying out socialism in America because they all think that Ameirca can fix their stupid politcal and social systems.

They keep giving advantages to a few via their new caste systems and forget that we give liberty to all. Let them work in India.

Build a database of out of work american IT people and let them telecommute. That IT staffing and IT pros have not figured out how to write the code using out of work IT people from the pockets of telecom or silicon shows how narrow is the vision of too many IT business people.

[novacation]

Bush,Davis,Bustamante, and most of the rest couldn't care less about the backbone of this country.I think they have contempt for us.As long as we let them spit on us they will never stop ruining our future.

[LibertyAndJusticeForAll]

Both major parties are in favor of illegal immigration, despite the overwhelming majority of Americans who want our borders protected.

[NMC EXP]

I heard a radio interview with the head of the Iowa GOP. She was asked if the economy would hurt Bush's reelection chances.

She blathered on about the "recovery" in progress.

The interviewer pointed out that it is a "jobless recovery".

The Iowa GOPer responded: "In the new economy, unemployment levels are not important."

IOW: Let them eat cake.

Regards

J.R.