LOU DOBBS TONIGHT

Debate Over Immigration Bill Continues; Iraqi Troops Still Not Ready to Step Up; Visa Programs Being Used by Companies to Bring in Foreign Labor; Why No Recall for Dangerous Chinese Tires?

Aired June 27, 2007 - 18:00   ET

BILL TUCKER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The L visa is much more dangerous to the American worker than the better known H-1B visa. L visas have no wage requirements. An American can be replaced by an L visa worker, and there is no cap on how many can be issued.

SSo who uses the most L visas, a visa designed for managers, executives and workers with specialized knowledge? Nearly half of the top 20 users are companies whose business is outsourcing work. Tata Consultancy, Cognizant Tech Solutions, Sarvam Computer Services, WIPRO, HCL, PATNI Computer Systems, Infosys, Caritor (ph), Syntel.

All of those companies are also top users of H-1B visas. And when those are compared to the Department of Labor's own projections, it reveals a frightening future for America's technology producers. br>
PAUL ALMEIDA, AFL-CIO: This sector of the economy, the high-tech area, is only going to grow by approximately 120,000 jobs a year. Unlimited L-1s, it's a definite threat to the U.S. work force.

TUCKER: In January of last year, the Office of Inspector General for Homeland Security found several reasons to be concerned about how the visas are being used.

The report noted that the term "specialized knowledge" is so broadly defined, it could be applied to anyone. And that companies can claim to be bringing in workers as managers and executives, but there's no follow-up once they arrive. That angers some Senate leaders.

SEN. CHUCK GRASSLEY (R), IOWA: Whatever it takes to just minimally meet the requirements of the law, do it. Forget about the spirit of the law. To heck with the American workers. Just get your workers wherever you can around the world for the lowest price you can and think last about helping America.

It's those corporations that I would say to them, either get your heart into America or get your rear end out. TUCKER: There is little doubt about whether the L visa workers are coming from.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TUCKER: In 2002, only 10 percent of the specialized knowledge workers came from India. By 2005, almost half of the visas that were issued for specialized knowledge came from workers who came from India.

Now, Lou, critics of the L visa program are just warning that we're seeing the beginning of the exploitation of this program and that the use is only going to increase.

DOBBS: Well, it is natural. Certainly, no one can blame the Indian workers, because they are simply being exploited by the Indian companies who have been permitted here, through the policies of corporate America, in order to drive down wages and to hire cheaper than American labor.

TUCKER: Exactly.

DOBBS: The idea that the number is -- give us the number again in both the L visa and the H-1B visa, the percentage that are going to Indian companies.

TUCKER: Roughly -- what is it -- 5 out of the top 6, 14 out of top 20. Five of the top 6 for H-1B visas. Fourteen out of the top 20 go to Indian companies for the L-1 visa.

Last year, Lou, people think we really give out 65,000 H-1B visas. It's not true. Last year they did 118,000 of the H-1B visas alone, which Lou, almost exceeds the projected job growths, again, of the tech world.

DOBBS: And you know, it's too much to ask for, and I know you -- at least most of you, I believe, at home would agree with me -- it's too much to ask for that the United States Senate be watching this broadcast tonight as we report the facts.

And it's too much to ask that the White House staff be watching this broadcast and remind the president when he says that we can secure the border if we just have a guest worker program.

What we have just reported to you is, in point of fact. This is not emotional. It's not ideological. It's not partisan. In point of fact, all this president and all this Congress had to do, at any time, if indeed this president truly believes what he is articulating in tortured logic, that a guest worker program is the way in which to secure the border, the border could be secured eight times over.

The president and this Congress could raise the levels of those H-1B, H-1a, the H visa program, with a very simple initiative in either house of our great Congress. Amazing.

AAll right. Thank you, Bill Tucker. Very illuminating, as usual. Now our poll. Do you believe the Senate leadership and the president are just simply outright selling out the interests of American citizens? Yes, no. Those are the only two choices we've got for you tonight. Cast your vote at LouDobbs.com. We'll have the results upcoming.