Visas harm U.S. workers

Many thousands of college graduates are looking for jobs so that they can start responsible lives supporting themselves. Many of these are faced with paying off their share of the $1 trillion that students have borrowed while they were pursuing that degree. Many have been assured that a sheepskin was all they needed.

Using the excuse that this country faces a shortage of “skilled labor,” our government allows 65,000 non-U.S. citizens with advanced degrees to enter the U.S. workforce under the H-1B Visa program each year. Major corporations have terminated scores of experienced employees and replaced them with Indian and Chinese immigrants who don’t demand pension plans or medical care. Corporations spent $125 million lobbying last year to try to get the H-1B Visas increased from 65,000 to 180,000 per year.

Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, is trying to impose severe restrictions on H-1B Visas. Other senators demand that white-collar jobs open to foreigners must first be made available to American citizens for at least 30 days. Also, prevailing market wages be paid to imported workers.

We need to protect our U.S. citizens.

Gerald Ray

Spokane