NM State Illegally Paying Immigration Fees

Date: Thursday, May 08, 2003 11:04 AM

JOB DESTRUCTION NEWSLETTER

www.ZaZona.com

This is a variation of the carrot dangled in front of the rabbit trap.
H-1Bs are told that if they are docile, hard workers they will get
Green Cards. Employers use this carrot to indenture the H-1Bs because
if they don't suck up they will lose their visa, and their chance for
the American Dream of citizenship. Nobody tells these H-1Bs that once
they become citizens nobody will hire them.

What makes this story very icky is that it takes place in New Mexico, a
state with very high unemployment for technical workers and
consistently one of the lowest average incomes in the U.S. Even worse,
these H-1Bs work for the tax department.

I'm not sure why this reporter thinks something illegal was done
because everything described is standard operating procedure. Perhaps
something else happened that wasn't mentioned in the article. If there
were illegal activities, why are these H-1Bs welcome to work for the
state tax department until their visas expire?

http://www.thenewmexicochannel.com/news/2189064/detail.html

TheNewMexicoChannel.com

Target 7: State Illegally Paying Immigration Fees

Foreign Nationals From India Must Now Leave U.S.
Larry Barker, Target 7 Investigative Reporter
POSTED: 8:03 p.m. MDT May 7, 2003

SANTA FE, N.M. -- A KOAT Target 7 investigation has uncovered a deal
that had the state of New Mexico illegally paying for foreign nationals
to get green cards. And now, 15 skilled computer programmers will lose
their jobs and likely be deported.

KOAT Target 7 investigative reporter Larry Barker said it started a
couple of years ago -- the Taxation and Revenue Department needed
computer programmers. So, they hired more than a dozen highly qualified
foreign nationals from India, promising to pay their immigration fees.

The problem? It's against the law.

When Barker asked the programmers, "How many of you guys feel let down
by the state of New Mexico," they answered, "All of us!"

"For the state of New Mexico, it's virtually impossible for the state
to be the sponsoring employer for these employees," said Taxation and
Revenue Secretary Jan Goodwin.

"It's not impossible because the state actually did it? It's illegal,"
Barker said.

"Larry, that's correct," said Goodwin.

Goodwin first discovered the practice in February -- the department,
sponsoring computer programmers from India to work for the state.
Taxation and Revenue paid $1,100 each to the Immigration and
Naturalization Service for at least 15 state employees, the last check
written earlier this year.

"I was very upset. This is not how the Richardson administration or I
want to have state government work," Goodwin said. "This practice has
been halted. I've given a directive that we are not to engage in this
type of behavior."

All of the programmers were promised the state would secure them
permanent work status, but they were told Tuesday the state was
withdrawing the paperwork that would keep them in the country.

"Now they are letting us down, we feel back stabbed," said Sailam
Vasudevam one of the Taxation and Revenue programmers.

Now, once their visas expire, these skilled technicians and their
families must leave the country.

"Our family is going to be affected because we're going to lose our job
and we have to go back," said Pavam Chelpati, another programmer.

"There are potentially qualified New Mexicans out there who can handle
these jobs and they were not given a fair opportunity to apply for
these positions," Goodwin said.

Now that the state has decided to stop the practice, some of the
programmers will face deportation in a matter of months. KOAT Target 7
has also learned that the state paid more than $30,000 to private
attorneys last year to process green cards for state employees.

Goodwin said all of the affected programmers are hard working,
dedicated employees, welcome to stay at the Taxation and Revenue
Department as long as their visas permit.
Target 7 with Larry Barker is an Action 7 News franchise.Copyright 2003
by TheNewMexicoChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not
be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed

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