DHS secretary, asked about H-1B, says 'top obligation' is to U.S. workers

[ChromeFoundry]

Source: ComputerWorld

Napolitano also says DHS is increasing H-1B enforcement

May 7, 2009 (Computerworld) WASHINGTON - U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told a congressional committee that ensuring American workers have jobs is a "top obligation," and that her agency was stepping up its enforcement of the H-1B program.

Napolitano said that over the last month the department has added fraud prevention tactics that weren't being used previously in the H-1B program, such as visits to work sites. "We're going to keep at this to make sure that the intent of that program is fulfilled," she said at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday.

Napolitano was responding to a question from U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), who has introduced legislation, along with Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), called the H-1B Visa Fraud and Abuse Protections Act (S.887). The 37-page reform bill includes a number of restrictions and enforcement provisions, including audits of employers.

Durbin talked about abuses in the H-1B program but also cited "a very serious concern" that "many of these H-1B holders are going to displace American workers or be placed in positions where unemployed American workers might otherwise have an opportunity."

In response, Napolitano said that "our top obligations are to American workers, making sure American workers have jobs."



Read more: http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9132658

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"Our top obligations are to American workers."

As it should be.

Durbin raised a good point: citing "a very serious concern" that "many of these H-1B holders are going to displace American workers or be placed in positions where unemployed American workers might otherwise have an opportunity."

[babylonsister]

1. Finally, a step in the right direction! nt

[stray cat]

2. Qualified American workers that are as well trained and competent as their H1 counterparts

maybe its our education system but some H1 visa holders are well above any Americans competing for the same job - particularly in the sciences.

[Hugin]

3. Link please...

"Well above any"?

[OhioChick]

5. Waiting for a link on that spin. n/t

[AngryOldDem]

6. A third call for a link. n/t

[ihavenobias]

7. Fouth. n/t

[Azlady]

11. 5th request for that link

[w4rma]

8. Completely untrue. H1 visa holders are hired because they are cheap and controlable, not good. (nt)

[pampango]

10. Only study/link I could find was one at National Bureau of Econ Research

http://www.nber.org/papers/w14920

"Which Immigrants Are Most Innovative and Entrepreneurial? Distinctions by Entry Visa"

"Using the 2003 National Survey of College Graduates, I examine how immigrants perform relative to natives in activities likely to increase U.S. productivity, according to the type of visa on which they first entered the United States. Immigrants who first entered on a student/trainee visa (J-1 or F-1) or a temporary work visa (H-1B) have a large advantage over natives in wages , patenting, commercializing or licensing patents, and publishing. In general, this advantage is explained by immigrants' higher education and field of study , but this is not the case for publishing, and immigrants are more likely to start companies than natives with similar education. Immigrants without U.S. education and who arrived at older ages suffer a wage handicap, which offsets savings to the United States from their having completed more education abroad. Immigrants who entered with legal permanent residence do not outperform natives for any of the outcomes considered. "

That was all that was available of that study unless you purchase it.

One article about this study was "US work visa holders are more productive than US citizens says report" at
http://www.globalvisas.com/news/us_work_visa_holders_are_more_productive_than_us_citizens_says_report1077.html

"Hunt looked at factors such as whether the immigrants have launched patents, contributed to major conferences and published books or papers. She also looked at what they earned and concluded that the highest achievers moved to the US on temporary highly skilled work visas (H-1B) or to train or study in the US."

"Hunt said she attributed the higher achievement to the tendency to study in more lucrative fields, along with the fact that many of them were educated to an extremely high level."

I didn't see anything about the comparative level of wages of H-1B visa holders when they are first hired. The study seems (without buying it) to contend that their earnings and productivity were comparatively high over a period of time.

[OhioChick]

4. Good to hear. I hope there is some transparency in this program. n/t

[Dappleganger]

9. K&R