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Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is taking intention on the controversial H-1B visa program, arguing that it replaces “good-paying American jobs with low-wage indentured servants from abroad” — simply as this system is on the heart of a debate throughout the Republican Social gathering.
“The main function of the H-1B visa program and other guest worker initiatives is not to hire ‘the best and the brightest,’ but rather to replace good-paying American jobs with low-wage indentured servants from abroad,” Sanders wrote on X. “The cheaper the labor they hire, the more money the billionaires make.”
The self-described democratic socialist has a historical past of opposing this system, which permits U.S. corporations to rent overseas staff for specialty occupations. It’s predominantly utilized by the tech trade, however has confronted criticism primarily from the appropriate that it brings in low cost labor from overseas to exchange American staff.
TRUMP SAYS HE’S NOT CHANGED HIS MIND ON H-1B VISAS AS DEBATE RAGES WITHIN MAGA COALITION
Outstanding liberals like Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., have argued that the Democratic Social gathering misplaced the 2024 election as a result of it deserted the working-class. (Charly Triballeau/AFP by way of Getty Photographs)
This system just lately turned a part of an intra-Republican debate when Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who’ve been tapped by Trump to steer the Division of Authorities Effectivity, argued for the significance of overseas staff for tech corporations.
“The reason I’m in America along with so many critical people who built SpaceX, Tesla, and hundreds of other companies that made America strong is because of H1B,” Musk mentioned on X.
That reopened a rift between these on the appropriate over this system and whether or not it’s getting used to draw the perfect expertise or being utilized by corporations to herald cheaper labor, primarily from India, who’re tied to their job by the visa.
Sanders cited statistics to indicate that in 2022 and 2023, the highest 30 firms utilizing this system laid off over 85,000 American staff, whereas hiring over 34,000 H-1B staff, and that 33% of recent IT jobs are stuffed by overseas nationwide visitor staff. He additionally pointed to layoffs at Tesla, one in every of Musk’s corporations.
ERIC SCHMITT BLASTS ‘ABUSE’ OF H-1B VISA PROGRAM, SAYS AMERICANS ‘SHOULDN’T TRAIN THEIR FOREIGN REPLACEMENTS’
Elon Musk, pictured, and Vivek Ramaswamy are set to move the Division of Authorities Effectivity. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Photographs)
“If this program is really supposed to be about importing workers with highly advanced degrees in science and technology, why are H-1B guest workers being employed as dog trainers, massage therapists, cooks, and English teachers?” he mentioned. “Can we really not find English teachers in America?”
Sanders conceded that there could also be labor shortages that could possibly be stuffed by H-1B staff, however he known as for considerably elevated visitor employee charges with a view to pay for alternatives for Individuals, in addition to different reforms, together with elevated minimal wages and the flexibility to simply transfer jobs.
“Bottom line. It should never be cheaper for a corporation to hire a guest worker from overseas than an American worker,” he mentioned.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION MOVES TO CHANGE H-1B GUEST WORKER PROGRAM TO PRIORITIZE HIGHER-WAGE APPLICANTS
Sanders mentioned that the “economic elite and political establishments” promised within the Nineties {that a} lack of blue-collar jobs as a consequence of free commerce agreements could be offset by extra white-collar IT jobs.
“Well, that turned out to be a Big Lie. Not only have corporations exported millions of blue-collar manufacturing jobs to China, Mexico, and other low-wage countries, they are now importing hundreds of thousands of low-paid guest workers from abroad to fill the white-collar technology jobs that are available,” he mentioned.
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Sanders feedback come days after President-elect Trump, who had railed in opposition to H-1B abuse through the 2016 marketing campaign, mentioned that he has all the time supported this system.
“I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I’ve been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It’s a great program,” he informed the New York Publish.
