At a time of growing economic crisis with many states reporting increasing unemployment, Congress is attempting to run an end-around the public’s demand to curtail illegal immigration.

While a bill to reduce illegal immigration (H.R. 4088) remains in limbo, Members of the House are rushing to expand the H-1B visa program, which imports foreign workers to take American jobs, many of whom overstay their visas and become illegal aliens.

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz) has introduced the Innovation Employment Act (H.R. 5630), which would DOUBLE the current H-1B visa cap to 130,000 per fiscal year. H.R. 5630 would further raise the cap to 180,000, for five years beginning in 2010, if the 130,000 cap is reached during the 2009 fiscal year.

Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) has introduced the Strengthening United States Technology and Innovation Act (H.R. 5642), which would TRIPLE the current H-1B visa cap to 195,000 in 2008 and 2009.

Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) is calling for a bill that would make Rep. Smith’s increases permanent.

House Chief Deputy Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) recently made the erroneous statement that H-1B visas are “not tied up to the larger issue of illegal immigration.” Nearly half of all illegal immigrants are people who’s H-1B visa expired and stayed illegally.

Representatives Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) and Michael McCaul (R-Texas) have introduced a bill that would practically staple a green card to the diploma of every foreign student who gets their Ph.D. from an American University.

You can check to see if your Congressman is supporting HR4088 here.  http://www.numbersusa.com/interests/attrition.html

Here’s Lou Dobbs on this issue. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bsp2V3ifZjM