[nuntius]

Of course H1Bs get and accept the same offers. That's exactly the issue.

Don't tell me you never knew the H1B who knowingly accepted a low salary because that was their chance to move to the US, get their food in the door, and hopefully move up. I've known many, from both Asia and Europe, who told me exactly this.

Companies knowingly use this to keep wages lower than the US-based supply would otherwise demand. At one level, I support this -- it maintains a competitive edge.

So what's wrong? Unlike a citizen or permanent resident, H1Bs feel indentured. They are even more risk averse. If you believe in free trade, then the freedom of both parties must be protected. Both H1Bs and undocumented immigrants feel far from protected. There are both moral and economic problems with the arrangement.