Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., sent a “Dear Colleague” letter this week to Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., asking the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee to explain several “radical immigration provisions” in the Democrats’ tax-and-spend reconciliation package “that benefit Big Tech corporations to the detriment of American workers.”
In an appeal for common ground, Hagerty pressed Sanders on provisions in the legislation that eliminates numerical limits on the annual allotment of green cards for foreign workers that exist to protect American workers, the GOP senator’s office explained in a press release.
“This provision would benefit America’s largest and most powerful tech corporations by allowing them — for a small fee — to purchase an unlimited supply of cheaper foreign labor, which not only reduces job opportunities for Americans but reduces wages by increasing the labor supply,” the release explained.
Citing examples, Hagerty reminded Sanders that of his past stance in large-scale immigration — the latest tally from Border Patrol shows that a record 1.7 million illegal immigrants have entered the U.S. this year alone, with most being allowed to remain.
“While we obviously hold wildly different perspectives on the proposed reconciliation legislation and, more broadly, on economic, domestic, and foreign policy, there is one area in which we may be in agreement,” the senator wrote. “For most of your career, you have been an outspoken critic of large-scale migration that displaces American workers — especially corporate-driven immigration policies — citing the substantial harm they inflict upon Americans’ job opportunities, wages, and employment conditions.”
He continued, “Therefore, you could imagine my shock in discovering that the ‘Build Back Better’ reconciliation bill, which has been passed out of the applicable House committees, contains several breathtaking immigration provisions that have long been the crown jewel of corporate lobbying.”
Sanders and Democrats favor #BigTech & corporate lobbyists over American workers and their wages.
Don't believe me? Look at the radical provisions hidden in their tax-and-spend spree that I’ve written @SenSanders about. pic.twitter.com/9z0bJhDTm7
— Senator Bill Hagerty (@SenatorHagerty) October 26, 2021
Hagerty said that Silicon Valley has “more consistently and vociferously lobbied for these uncapped foreign worker programs” than any corporate lobby.
“These provisions are of, by, and for Big Tech, and the multi-multi-billionaires of Big Tech stand to benefit from them the most,” he insisted. “Their effect will be to make Big Tech more powerful and unaccountable and to concentrate even more power in hands of fewer people.”
“I find it astonishing, therefore, that the “Build Back Better” plan includes a provision that would so sever America’s working and middle class from the economic gains reaped by Big Tech CEOs,” Hagerty added. “These provisions will allow Facebook, Microsoft, Google, and numerous other technology companies across America to employ a functionally limitless supply of cheaper foreign labor in place of willing, able, and qualified American workers. It will also mean American workers currently employed by these companies will be far less likely to see wage gains or increased compensation because employers will have the leverage to easily replace them at less cost with workers imported from overseas.”
The GOP senator also stressed that African-American, Hispanic, and female workers seeking to enter Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields are disadvantaged the most by these overseas labor provisions.
In closing, Hagerty called on Sanders to join with him and demand the removal of these provisions.
“Despite our disagreements on a number of policy issues, I cannot imagine that, based on your career’s work, you could countenance the provision contained in the House bill, which amounts to an enormous corporate-special-interest giveaway. I am sure you must agree that the key to America’s greatness is the strength of its middle class and that a provision that will allow America’s richest billionaires to profit while blocking our most vulnerable citizens’ pathway to the American middle class must be rejected,” he said. “Therefore, I hope that you will join me in publicly opposing these unlimited green card provisions and demanding they be stripped out of the legislation before it comes to a vote in the House.”
Fox News host Tucker Carlson touched on how profoundly President Biden’s “lunatic” immigration policies are changing the country, noting that the 1.7 million illegal immigrants who came this year are from 160 countries from around the world. He also said this is harming American citizens — not that the media has much interest in the topic.
“The Biden administration is subverting democracy, diluting the political power of American citizens by importing a brand-new population. That is exactly what’s happening,” Carlson said.
Pointing to Biden’s promise of unlimited government benefits, including free healthcare, he said the U.S. is breaking the bank to pay for this care to the detriment of Americans who must rely on the government and that it drives wages down for the workforce.
“When you flood the labor pool, wages go down. That’s called supply and demand,” Carlson added, before accusing the administration of “actively and intentionally breaking federal law”
“Now, places who hire illegal aliens to undercut American wages have the full protection of the Department of Homeland Security,” the Fox News host charged.
DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW
Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!
[email protected]
The longest-tenured writer at BizPac Review, Tom grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills.
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
BPR INSIDER COMMENTS
Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!
