Ted Cruz wants to increase H-1B visas from 65,000 to 325,000 annually

WASHINGTON, DC: When it comes to increasing skilled workers on H-1B visas, one could say presidential candidate Ted Cruz is a bit of a black sheep amongst the GOP.The Republican presidential candidate wants to increase the H-1B visas by 500 percent from its 65,000 to 325,000.

Cruz, who announced his run for the Oval office this morning, had made the proposition in 2013 as an amendment to the Senate’s comprehensive immigration bill.While the Senate’s Judiciary Committee torpedoed Cruz’s amendment, they did approve an increase of 180,000 in the H-1B cap, but the House never acted on the legislation.It’s not clear if Cruz had only the base 65,000 H-1B visas for skilled workers from around the globe to emigrate to the US in mind, and he didn’t want to include the 20,000 other H-1B visas which are allocated especially for students who graduate from universities in the US.

... the O1 which was designed to bring in Rocket Scientists.

Yes, this is the bemusing part of all this to me. I actually had two uncles who were real rocket scientists, and cousins who worked at JPL. One of my uncles, whom I cannot name in the interest of my own privacy, was involved with the Manhattan Project. He was the guy who validated the calculations output by the computer, in his head. He had two degrees by his twentieth birthday. He got through the program at U of I back in the early 40's, when they were a no mercy destroyer of academic hopes. And he did it without a slide rule. He didn't need one. He could do it all in his head. About the time he died he was trying to teach my cousin how to do simultaneous equations mentally .. wait for it .. in 100 or more unknowns. He said there was a trick to it. Right, good uncle. The trick to it is to be blessed by God with a unique brain.

And he was the sweetest, humblest man you could wish to know. If the true intent was solely to bring in superstars like him, then I would have no problem with that. But these folks are scarce, a rather small and elite club, and they have access, by virtue of who they are, to whatever employment in the world they desire, more or less, and allowing for some exceptions, of course.

So no, I just do not buy that song and dance that the 350,000 H1b visas are for such as these. There's hardly a tenth of that number in the whole world who are operating at that level, and even that may be an exaggeration. No, the H1b numbers are there, in my view, to facilitate the intake of people operating in a much more ordinary range, the so-called "monkey workers," as you like to call them, Hostage. But compared to my uncle, most people in the world are "monkey workers."

Such invective is wasted hot air. It describes nothing useful. Especially if your purpose is making allies for Cruz out of reasonable people who see their livelihoods threatened by his professed policies. You may consider them wimps and whiners, but these "wimps and whiners" vote, and they're not likely to vote against their own self-interests, perceived or otherwise.

As for me, you're not making the sale. Perhaps my personal experience with superstar STEM workers makes that impossible. Nevertheless, if you're not selling me on the idea, I'd bet there's a bunch more just like me that Ted would like to win over, who are having genuine trouble with this policy. In politics, you don't get very far alienating your natural supporters. Just sayin ...

Peace,

SR

Most people, including here at Free Republic, are not aware that H-1B Visas are automatically renewable for SIX years.

Most people also are not aware that universities, non-profit labs, and government agencies can hire an unlimited number of H-1Bs that do not count against the quota, and can be renewed for TEN years.

Under current law, we have at least 550,000 H-1Bs in our country today.

In other words, the Cruz amendment would increase H-1Bs to well over two million.

I think Hostage has done an excellent job of discrediting himself.

Hostage apparently has a cushy government job and it is probably safe to conclude that he does not live in the Silicon Valley, ground zero for H1B Bangalore workers.

The more he writes, the more people will know not to trust him or Cruz.

Cruz probably needs a meme for whatever is left of his immigrant supporters. That meme is satisfied by support for H1B. It won’t get him support of any tech workers but H1Bs. I think it’s apparent that Cruz is dangerous in any (US) government position.

America first. Americans first. Pray for America.

> “Hostage apparently has a cushy government job and it is probably safe to conclude that he does not live in the Silicon Valley, ground zero for H1B Bangalore workers.”

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha, what a comedian!

I don’t have a government job although I’ve been offered one several times.

I made my nest egg through entreneurial blood, sweat and tears. I’ve been semi-retired but now starting up a new business with international reach.

Anyways, thanks for elevating me via attempted malignment to a status normally reserved for people such as Rush Limbaugh and now Ted Cruz. Although I do not rise to the influence of those gentlemen, at least now I can chuckle knowing I’ve shared a similar experience.

I want to read you writing these words:

America first.

American workers first.

American jobs first.

I don’t think you can do it.

You might as well be a government worker, since your attitude mirrors that of a government worker.

Have a nice day in your bubble.

:-)

This is what happens when the big donors start calling in their chits to 99 out of 100 pols. The 99 do not have the wherewithal and political power to stÃ nd up to the open border and cheap labor crowd and big media and PC. Trump is the only candidate that could withstand the media amd political onslaught.
My views have changed and we need to remove corruptoon. I support deconsolidating (busting up) the media, removing big money from campaigns. We need to end the undue political power of international corporations especially those that offshore production and HQ, to lobby our government. GM is not an American corporation.

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