Is Hillary Clinton's silence on H-1B visas golden?

[OhioChick]

1 May, 2016, 04.37AM IST

Democratic presidential nomination hopeful Hillary Clinton has surprisingly not said anything about H-1B visas in her presidential campaign. The H-1B visa has become controversial since 2015 after the media reported about US workers being laid off upon American companies contracting with India-based IT firms to take over their IT functions. If Clinton does support an increase in H-1B visa numbers and understands the benefit that the H-1B programme brings to US companies and to the consumer, perhaps it is strategic of her to not say anything at this point.

In the past, Clinton has spoken in support of increasing H-1B visas, like in a 2007 speech to Silicon Valley executives where she said, "I am reaffirming my commitment to the H-1B visa and increasing the current cap. Foreign skilled workers contribute greatly to what we have to do in being innovators." When Clinton was a senator from New York in 2003, she inaugurated the offices of TCS in Buffalo. However, when America was in its worst recession in 2009, she said while visiting India, "Outsourcing is a concern for many communities and businesses in my country."

Clinton has also spoken forcefully in favour of Comprehensive Immigration Reform in her campaign, which includes reforming the immigration system as a whole, and she is absolutely committed to pushing for CIR within the first 100 days of her presidency. If there is any compromise on H-1B visas as part of a deal on CIR, such as increasing the H-1B cap in exchange for imposing certain restrictions on IT companies, I believe she will go for a deal if it brings CIR into fruition.

Clinton's silence on H-1B visas is a good sign when the visa programme has become so poisoned in recent times. However, if she is pushed by Trump in the general election campaign, she may sound tougher on H-1B visas, although this may all be part of campaign rhetoric.

More: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/visa-and-immigration/is-hillary-clintons-silence-on-h-1b-visas-golden/articleshow/52057165.cms

[w4rma]

1. She doesn't have anything good to say, so she isn't saying anything at all.

Her *actions* speak louder than her words, anyway.

[Baobab]

10. L-1 visas are a core part of their strategy for services liberalisation

There could be eventually as many as 30-60 million guest workers here under L-1 visas. Read up on the procurement aspect of TTIP and TiSA, also GATS, which was signed in 1994 by Bill Clinton.

We're joining the WTO Government Procurement Agreement, ad TTIP and TiSA are pending, so that may mean that whenever public money is spent, global procurement will be solicited. This is intended to both pay back developing countries for 20 years of globalization and also lower costs and wages towards world average levels. If US companies want those jobs they will have to subcontract for the actual workers to other countries. So perhaps the management on these jobs may be US, but the workers might be from some trading partner.


This is a very good video on the trade in services agreement with Sanya Reid Smith

[antigop]

2. well, gee, why didn't the debate moderators ask her about it during the debates? nt

[greymattermom]

3. What does Trump say?

But, more importantly, what does the Trump enterprise actually do? He can say anything he wants. His former employees will soon be talking.

[Baobab]

11. He supports guest worker programs obviously, because his hotels use them

This is a paper about Mode Four from the Word Bank See page 278-279

http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTRANETTRADE/Resources/C13.pdf

The newer version of this is TISA. See the video I posted just now higher up in the thread.

So, dont expect Trump to be helpful

[leftofcool]

4. Here's a tip for ya. Why don't you ask Trump about his?

Have you seen Hillary hire anyone from out of the country? Trump has.

[Ford_Prefect]

5. The important part is that she has supported H-1b program expansion and will again.

You left out that all important paragraph at the end where the conclusions may be found:

Her past statements in support of H-1B visas, and her silence in this campaign even when Bernie Sanders criticised her for her past support of H-1B visas, mean that she will probably support the H-1B visa programme if she is elected president, and will push Congress in the direction of expanding rather than curtailing the H-1B visa.

[newthinking]

7. Yes. The problem is her WORLDVIEW. Most of the elite actually believe in the end

that the current corporate model is the best and only choice. They are too insulated and invested to realize the model is actually producing far more misery than the alternatives.

That is why, no matter what concessions that Clinton claims: in the end she will still produce the same or similar policies once in office.

[Ford_Prefect]

8. The rest of us are only collateral damage.

If you have to ask you can't afford the price of the future on this menu.

[appalachiablue]

12. Hillary Clinton Speaks about H1-B Visas and Outsourcing.

Hillary Clinton Pushes For More H1B Visas and OutSourcing.

Uploaded on June 4, 2007.
Hillary Clinton has clearly sided with big business against American students and professionals. Clinton is favoring major H1B increase, despite the fact the high unemployment rate for American graduates.

Hillary Clinton Reaffirms More Support for H1-B Visas.

Uploaded on Jul 8, 2007
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) 2007 Global Alumni Conference -- Santa Clara, California, July 6, 2007. Hillary Clinton reassured the Indian lobbyists and American corporations that she supports an expanded H-1B visa program. Clinton casually disregarded the qualified and talented Americans who are being displaced by the cheap, young, and mostly male, H-1B visa holders.

[antigop]

6. kick. nt

[ViseGrip]

9. bernie brought it up in a debate, she said NOTHING!