[cglee]

I don't think most Americans have a problem with truly bright engineers. I think the problem is when large corporations abuse the system to keep wages down.

Plus, yes the complaining will always come from the lower 80%; the top 20% usually have a way to solve their problems - that's the benefit of being on top.

[maggie]

The 'abuse to keep the wages down' is worked into the H1-B system. Reform is needed, but the spirit behind the program is valid.

Under the H1-B program, once you enter a certain stage of Department of Labor processing, you cannot get a promotion. Promotiotions = raises. Either the H1-B worker takes upon much more responsibility than they are being paid for, and therefore floors down the price the employers are willing to pay for an equiv. worker, OR they get stuck in a dead-end job and are first to get axed.

Ideally, this processing would take only a year or two. Thus, the demand of not changing the employee's title wouldn't be /so/ ridiculous (only a little ridiculous). However, in these post 9/11 delayed processing days, it ends up taking 3-4 years (especially if you're Chinese or Indian--the H1B Program has 'country of origin'-quotas (NOT citizenship, ORIGIN.))

[kingkongrevenge]

The H1B program is idiotic. Immigration laws just need to be reformed. We need to stop importing nearly a million third world peasant laborers a year and start easily allowing in smart people who already speak English.

[anigbrowl]

Mrs Browl, who qualified as a laser engineer and now runs operations at a thriving information management company, is the offspring of two third world peasant laborers who arrived here when she was 3. As it happens, I'm European, have an IQ of 142 and speak perfect English, but I'm the less economically productive one.

I do think immigration laws need to be reformed and the US should lead in the redefinition of labor as a commodity and work towards open borders, which I believe will eventually do more to improve global productivity and security than any number of tariffs and background checks. However, I hope the people in charge do not share your dismissive attitude towards those who are so foolish as to get born in the wrong place.

[defen]

You're cherry-picking one example. The fact remains that the vast majority of Hispanics do not even complete college, even after the third or fourth generation as Americans. You have to put aside your personal prejudice and look at the bigger picture.