45 Companies Named in Country of Origin Discrimination Complaint by U.S. Tech Workers

*** A copy of the complaint can be found here: https://instituteforsoundpublicpolicy.org/charge-of-immigration-related-employment-discrimination/ ***

WASHINGTON — U.S. Tech Workers, an activist organization operating under the aegis of the non-profit watchdog Institute for Sound Public Policy, has filed a charge with the Department of Justice (DOJ) under the Immigrant Rights Section claiming two Chicago-based companies, P33 and TeCHicago, specifically solicited foreign H-1B visa holders for employment.

The charge states that P33 and TeCHicago are specifically set up to place H-1B visa workers in technology jobs. And since they offer coaching on how to obtain an H-1B visa and how to transition smoothly between jobs they make it even easier for their client companies to discriminate against American workers and prioritize foreigners. 

According to IfSPP, P33 and TeCHicago are practicing what’s called “country of origin discrimination” against American workers, who as U.S. citizens, are a protected class.  The charge could allow U.S. Tech Workers to move forward with an administrative action against P33 and/or TeCHicago, or the DOJ could decide to sue those organizations on their own behalf.

“What these organizations are doing is a total disgrace,” said Kevin Lynn, executive director of IfSPP. “While American tech workers are losing their jobs, these employers are hyper-focused on hiring only foreigners. The H-1B visa program disincentivises U.S. companies from hiring American workers, and it must be totally re-worked, if not completely eliminated.”

Forty-five companies currently use TeCHicago to attract foreign workers and their names would likely surprise any patriotic American.

“Both John Deere and CATERPILLAR use these sham recruiting firms to discriminate against U.S. workers, all the while presenting themselves as All-American companies working in our best interests,” said Lynn. “Americans need to know these companies want Americans to buy their products and services but they don’t want to hire Americans.”

Other companies using the recruiting tool include Fifth Third Bank, Discover, Ulta and the University of Chicago.

In one of the cases IFSPP monitored, a qualified U.S. worker who applied for a job at the University of Chicago, didn’t receive a call back. When an identical resumé was submitted for the same job from an H-1B worker named Prashant Patel, the university called back expressing their interest to learn more.

Lynn also noted that the Biden administration has implemented a rule allowing H-1B employees who have been laid off to change their visa status to “tourist” while they look for another job, instead of returning to their country of origin.

“As with much of our immigration system, the H-1B visa program is designed to displace American workers employers deemed to be expensive, undeserving and expendable,” said Lynn. “Displacing American workers with H-1B and other employment visa programs has been happening for decades. Adding further insult to injury, the Biden administration has made no efforts to reform the program, instead, they’ve actively countered several reforms initiated during the previous administration.”

About The Institute for Sound Public Policy:
Led by Kevin Lynn, who has decades of experience in immigration policy and who has battled to prevent the offshoring and outsourcing of U.S. jobs, IfSPP develops content on a broad range of topics in the areas of politics, health, the environment, finance, immigration, national security and foreign affairs. IfSPP also trains community activists, policy makers and influencers on how best to implement an agenda that prioritizes America’s working classes.