A Message from the Chair of the Hawaii Section

Aloha,

At the Region 6 meeting last February, members expressed their opposition to the H1-B visa program taking jobs away from Americans.

The U.S. Senate is now close to introducing a major Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill (CIR). IEEE-USA has learned that the bill will include a significant expansion of the EB green card system. The senate will also propose a huge increase in the H-1B temporary work visa program

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Here is link is to a recent article from the Boston Globe which does a good job articulating the problems with the H-1B program.  http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2013/03/30/visa-program-has-been-hijacked-outsourcers/VAg6o9KgS2tuoZ3WbmaqeK/story.html

 Russell Harrison, IEEE-USA, wrote an article describing the proposal in the Senate, which can be found here: http://www.todaysengineer.org/2013/Feb/immigration.asp

 The position of IEEE-USA is that any increase should be made in the EB green card system, not in the H-1B program.  IEEE-USA favors increases in STEM fields, but not increases for companies that are trying to outsource American jobs. IEEE-USA wants our help in contacting our representatives, esp., Sen. Hirono, who they feel is disposed to being helpful.

Please consider what you can do. We can discuss what can be done when we meet next. I can write a letter to Sen. Hirono expressing the concerns of the Hawaii Section, but consider what you can do. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks.