We just barely got over celebrating the fact that Indian IT workers in the US would be getting paid like their American counterparts when we got word of a wave of lawsuits being filed against the DHS and DOL for making this happen.
Full disclosure: we didn’t think the interim final rules (IFRs) published by the US Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Labor would go unnoticed by those that have profited so much by exploiting foreign Visa workers. After all, they’ve made billions scamming our immigration system for years.
But we didn’t think the backlash would be so quick – and so severe.
No less than three separate lawsuits have been filed in US courts to protest the rule changes in just the last couple of weeks – and more are expected.
The plaintiffs in the cases range from industry groups or trade associations like the IT Serve Alliance and the US Chamber of commerce (an advocate for unlimited immigration, even at this time of record unemployment in the US). But they also include a collection of universities and IT body shops, which have turned exploiting foreign workers into an art form.
The fact that this litigation was mobilized so quickly can mean only one thing: these companies would rather pay a whole army of lawyers to win this case – and prop up a system that exploits foreign workers and displaces Americans in the workplace – than simply pay people what they’re worth.
For years, those who fought back against our broken immigration system were dismissed as racists. But, just as equal pay was finally codified, Big Tech started crying foul.
“This haphazard and baseless rulemaking will hurt thousands of small and medium IT businesses,” said Amar Varda, President of ITServe Alliance.
Many who have been fighting against the abuse of foreign workers in the US initially looked to the Democratic party for help on this issue – but they’ve been disappointed again and again.
But the Trump administration’s recent moves seem to be showing that it can – and will – stand up for workers.
US Techworkers (USTW) is credited with being the major force in helping to right the wrongs of our current immigration system – and making them known to Trump. They stood up and fought back, after seeing so many American IT workers sent to the unemployment lines.
This time is no different. US Techworkers is organizing a grass roots offensive against these lawsuits – and the companies that filed them.
If you’ve witnessed – or have been a victim of – the abuses of the exploitation, fraud, discrimination, and displacement wrought by the H1-B visa program, click the link above. US Techworkers wants to hear your story.
Over the next couple of months, they will compile these stories and present them to the judges presiding over these lawsuits.
“Join us by becoming witness to the abuses you encountered on the job or in search of work. When you step forward now and join us in beating back the lawsuits, we have a good chance to win and win big!,” wrote Kevin Lynn, Founder of US Techworkers.