April 12, 2006I am writing to you regarding the current U.S. Senate race in Virginia. I read with interest the reason that you endorsed Mr. Harris Miller, because, as the Honorable Henry Marsh stated in the press release "Harris Miller is the candidate we trust to represent us in the U.S. Senate. We know he will be a strong and reliable partner for our community and for all Virginians.+óGé¼-¥
Further, Senator Marsh said "I cannot accept Jim Webb's views and statements on affirmative action.+óGé¼-¥ And "Harris Miller is the only candidate in this race who will fight side-by-side with us for equal opportunity for all Virginians.+óGé¼-¥
According to his campaign website, Mr. Miller was +óGé¼+ôthe President of the Arlington-based Information Technology Association of America (ITAA), where he led the charge that made Virginia and the United States global centers in the new field of Information Technology.+óGé¼-¥ That sounds good, but Mr. Miller worked tirelessly to advance the H-1B visa program which allowed companies to hire foreign workers to replace American workers at lower wages. I attach a report in which Mr. Miller points to an alleged shortage of IT workers. Through the years, this program has eroded a large portion of the middle class and has caused thousands of Americans to lose their well-paying jobs.
Attached for your review is a report from FAIR, the Federation for American Immigration Reform. On page six and seven of the report, it points out that +óGé¼+ôThe Congressional Black Caucus tried unsuccessfully to stop the 2000 increase in H-1Bs, because it contained no provisions to encourage employers to recruit from underrepresented groups rather than turning to H-1B workers.+óGé¼-¥ According to the report, +óGé¼+ôThe Coalition for Fair Employment in Silicon Valley has begun a campaign to increase the number of black Americans in technology jobs, pointing to businesses+óGé¼Gäó dependence on foreign labor as one reason blacks have failed to advance in the field. African American professors, scientists, and students are taking critical notice of high tech companies+óGé¼Gäó practices of hiring foreign workers through the H-1B program.+óGé¼-¥
With all due respect, as a person of color myself, I do not believe that Mr. Miller will be a reliable partner for Virginians, nor will he fight for equal opportunity for all of us. He has not looked out for American (including African American) IT workers who were left out in the cold as a result of the H-1B visa program.
No candidate is a perfect candidate. However, I do hope that you will at least interview Jim Webb and ask him to explain his positions on Affirmative Action and on the outsourcing of American jobs. I believe that when you do, you will come away convinced that Mr. Webb is a fair-minded individual who is concerned with the well-being of all Virginians, particularly those who do not have a voice.
Best regards,
Ingrid Morroy
Commissioner of Revenue
Arlington, Virginia
I will add to the list of racial/ethnic/nationality discrimination practiced under the present regime of outsourcing and NIV worker programs in the information technology field.
Large Indian outsourcing firms which maintain a U.S. workforce do not hire American IT workers. They utilise workers brought over from India under the L-1 "intra-company business visa". The consequence is that Indian outsourcing firms such as Wipro, HCL and TATA/TCS do not offer Americans of any race employment opportunities in their own country.
While, I'm sure some low-level positions might be filled by Americans in these firms, these jobs are so minor and small in number as to make the hiring of Americans at best the worst form of tokenism.