21 Jan 2004
Bush immigration plan could affect techies

This is simply unbelieveable. What in the world are these folks thinking?

... in a speech last week at the Cato Institute, an administration official indicated the program could extend to highly skilled positions as well. Margaret Spellings, assistant to the president for domestic policy, said details of the program have yet to be worked out. But she said the program will be "non-sector specific" and mentioned nurses and teachers as possible workers covered by the program.

Nursing and teaching are relatively skilled job categories, which suggests that programmers or other tech professionals could be affected as well.

I have tech friends who've followed the latest advice to the jobless: get into teaching or medicine, under the theory that they can't export those jobs, as face to face contact is generally required.

Looks like the Republocrats (or is it the Demilcans?) are bound and determined to cut out that loophole that would prevent us all from becoming burger flippers... if they can't ship the jobs overseas, they'll bring the low wage workers over here!

I'm well aware that the immigration "system" is broken. But could I simply suggest that we enforce the law? If you get here without a visa and get caught, you get deported. Immediately. No questions. If you were employed, your employer should be fined at least two years of prevailing wages for the job you held illegally. Then that fine should be trebled, under the provisions of the antitrust laws. No exemptions, exceptions or special cases. To avoid the fines, don't hire illegal, undocumented workers. It's gotta be that simple.

I don't want to be anti-immigrant - I've always favored open borders. But in a world that's closed off to Americans moving abroad to work, it's nothing short of insane to invite the world to come here. It has got to be a two way street.

And there's also a huge difference between a poverty stricken worker moving himself and his family to better his condition (as was the case with most immigration throughout American history) and a multinational corporation literally importing temporary workers, who have no family or investment in this country or our society at all.

Although details remain fuzzy, the president's plan to tackle illegal immigration could create a new way for tech employers to bring in foreign workers.

(link) [CNET News.com - Front Door]

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