GAO Reveals Employer Abuse of H-2B Visa Program

[Omaha Steve]

Submitted by Jesse Russell on November 7, 2010 - 2:24pm
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A study by the Government Accountability Office reveals that foreign workers who use visas to perform temporary work in the United States are often the victims of abuse. The report highlights of the country’s H-2B visa program being abused by employers. One of the stand out cases involves more than 3,800 H-2B visas being obtained for workers fraudulently. According to the Kansas City Star, which had reported on this case prior to the release of the study the foreign workers were charged fee and high rent to live in overcrowded housing. The GAO stressed in the report that these instances of abuse were not rampant throughout the entire program. When the organization went onder cover and contacted 18 recruiters who use the program only three suggested ways the program could be used to evade labor laws.

[xchrom]

1. were they 'surprised'? nt

[leveymg]

2. Shouldn't the headline be, "GAO Study Shows Most H-2B contractors lawful and compliant"

The GAO stressed in the report that these instances of abuse were not rampant throughout the entire program. When the organization went under cover and contacted 18 recruiters who use the program only three suggested ways the program could be used to evade labor laws.

I find that WIN headline spins the facts like a Nastase backhand lob.

(In an earlier version of this response, I posted a screed against what I sometimes perceive to be an anti-immigrant bias in some of your postings, Steve. But, I can see that your views are actually more nuanced, and you have made many expressions in support of immigrants and against the Arizona-style anti-immigrant bigots. I apologize for my earlier mis-characterization of your views.)

[Earth Bound Misfit]

3. If you're interested, a link to a text file of the report...

http://www.gao.gov/htext/d101053.html

[leveymg]

4. Thnx for that