Lofgren calls on UC President Napolitano to stop outsourcing American IT jobs
SAN JOSE, C.A. – Today, in response to reports that the University of California San Francisco plans to lay-off one-third of its IT workforce in favor of H-1B employees, U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren wrote to UC President Janet Napolitano, calling on her to reverse her decision to outsource American IT jobs.
The letter, sent November 1st reads:
"As you may know from prior comments I have made, I believe the University of California's plan to oursouce IT staff, including 80 jobs at the San Francisco campus, should be reversed. Based on your service as the Secretary of Homeland Security, the department with principal jurisdiction over immigration, I am sure you know that using the H-1B program to replace the University's IT staff would be a misuse of this visa category.
"The H-1B program's intended purpose is to promote American competitiveness by providing access for U.S. employers to highly-skilled foreign nationals to fill critical skills shortages. It is meant to supplement – not replace – the American workforce. Congress never intended that the H-1B program be sued to undercut wages for domestic workers or to facilitate offshoring of U.S. jobs.
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"I urge you to reconsider using the H-1B program to outsource American IT jobs. Not only will this protect American workers, it will avoid unnecessary risks to patients and California's taxpayers caused by offshoring the University's critical IT enterprise."
Lofgren had previously spoken out against the University's decision to outsource IT jobs.
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