Kamala Harris approach on the H-1B issue is mostly silence

dcblogs writes: Vice President Kamala Harris risks repeating a critical error from Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign with respect to the H-1B visa. With strong financial backing from Silicon Valley VCs and businesses keen on expanding the H-1B visa program, Clinton remained mostly silent on the issue, ultimately alienating IT workers concerned about job security. Harris, supported by over 200 Silicon Valley venture capitalists, mirrors Clinton's approach. She has also not addressed the implications of H-1B visas and offshore outsourcing on American jobs.

In 2016, Clinton's approach allowed Donald Trump to capitalize on the concerns of displaced IT workers. Trump gave these workers a platform at his rallies, promising reforms that resonated in key swing states like Florida and Pennsylvania, contributing to Clinton's narrow losses.

The Biden administration has shifted focus towards increasing green cards rather than reforming the H-1B visa program, which is still heavily utilized by IT services for offshoring jobs. If Harris doesn't address these issues it could lead to similar electoral consequences as those faced by Clinton in 2016, especially as the tech job market continues to evolve and college enrollments in computer science rise. However, the rise in undergraduate CS enrollments (mostly domestic students) could draw some opposition to Trump. Trump, who has picked up Silicon Valley support from some VCs and Elon Musk, is proposing giving green cards to STEM grads from junior colleges on up. This has the potential of discouraging domestic undergraduates if foreign student enrollments rise.