there is no shortage of high tech workers or engineers or STEM grads in the US. See, e.g., https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/03/the-myth-of-the-science-and-engineering-shortage/284359/

Of all the countless reasons to hate Trump's Muslim Ban, whether they have ethical, humanitarian, constitutional, economic, or other bases, "we need to have foreigners to do our high tech jobs" is not one of them. The U.S. is diminished because of this, but we are not diminished in terms of high tech competitiveness.

But imports work for less $.

And superstars are rare regardless.

Plus there are hiring practices. Google for instance, is known to make typical hires take a step back and essentially compete for a couple of years to get to the same level they were at; the classic yesterday you were chief operating officer at a startup, today you make coffee at Google, next week you might be a vp. Does not fly for everyone, so they like a big hiring pool.

suppress wages, bust unions, avoid paying taxes, and a host of other things that aren't good for others and that our community does need to support. Let's be for immigrants and against discrimination because we're for immigrants and against discrimination, not because we're trying to do Google's bidding for them.

Last edited Tue Jan 31, 2017, 04:07 AM - Edit history (1)

you don't have Steve Jobs. America has always been where the best and the brightest dream of doing their Ph Ds. And then they often stay or send their kids to university in the USA. I already know of some Canadians who left the USA because of Bush and the climate in the US. I don't doubt high tech wants open borders for tech people to drive down wages but a brain drain under Trump is also a reality. Think of raising a family if you are from a country not favoured by the Alt Right. Would you want to bring kids into a country where they were targeted? Immigrants at the top of their fields have choices.

As I replied to the other poster, let's be for immigrants and against discrimination because we're for immigrants and against discrimination, not because we're trying to do the dirty work of high tech companies (including Apple, by the way, which is not magic, or mystical, or perfect).

Can't we do what's right without becoming shills for wage-suppressing corporate hacks? I don't see why that is so much to ask.

Look at the horror in Syria today. How can any country survive when its most talented people leave? There are regions of Africa where people die because most qualified doctors leave for the UK/US.

The brain drain perpetuates poverty and sickness in the third world.

Gates Foundation have been looking for cures for tropical diseases
and agrarian revolutions that have and will improve economic growth. Local people instead of western expats run aid on the ground. Middle classes are developing. That will keep some people from leaving. But on the whole you are right. The west gains an awful lot of benefit from educating and/or keeping the smartest people of the world. Seems Trump is not aware of it. Or he doesn't care. Or his base doesn't care that immigrants have made them better off.