Federal judge blocks H1B visa $100K fee • Hacker News Board

Re: Federal judge blocks H1B visa $100K fee

#371

Post by dani__german » Thu, Jun 11, 2026, 4:41 AM UTC

intended wrote: post #263

dani__german wrote: post #235

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It precisely and explicitly demands that the government restrict supply of foreign labor, as that increases the fair market value of American wage earners. It increases the opportunities for young Americans to trade their labor for a start in life, to support their families, and to make our nation stronger. Importing foreign labor makes it more difficult to justify hiring Americans, and undermines the nation's long t…

If the clearing rate is equal to the cost of an engineer at a tech firm in SF, the education budget for a small town in Alaska wouldn't afford it. Your formulation isn't wrong, however it covers only one scenario. What happens when the locality cannot afford the cost to attract people to their region? This is not even theoretical, its what happened to the rest of the world, as their best and brightest immigrated to A…

we already massively subsidize Alaskan transportation and infrastructure. Adding school teachers, or changing school teacher education requirements, are both options.

Re: Federal judge blocks H1B visa $100K fee

#372

Post by dani__german » Thu, Jun 11, 2026, 4:46 AM UTC

s1artibartfast wrote: post #319

dani__german wrote: post #235

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It precisely and explicitly demands that the government restrict supply of foreign labor, as that increases the fair market value of American wage earners. It increases the opportunities for young Americans to trade their labor for a start in life, to support their families, and to make our nation stronger. Importing foreign labor makes it more difficult to justify hiring Americans, and undermines the nation's long t…

This supposes and outcome where domestic wages are increased and investment is made. It supposes that americans are willing and capable of doing the labor at a price point that americans will accept. It is also possible we will simply not teach these children (or build infrastructure, grow labor intensive crop, ect).

You're describing a market failure. That is a possibility with life. Our economic system worked during eras of very low immigration, namely the 1930s thru 1950s, and our education system was the best in the whole world.

Re: Federal judge blocks H1B visa $100K fee

#373

Post by snozolli » Thu, Jun 11, 2026, 2:05 PM UTC

Starman_Jones wrote: post #334

snozolli wrote: post #324

Earlier quoted context omitted.

the schools have to choose between giving these kids subpar teachers who are happy to live up there, or miserable teachers who are only doing it for the money. 1) Why is that the dichotomy? 2) Do you say the same thing about well-paid oilfield workers living in RVs, away from their families and social networks? 3) Do you think the foreign workers are happy to be in Alaska for the sake of the Alaskan experience? For s…

1) because there aren’t enough teachers in-state + coming out of the lower 48 to meet demand. 2) Pay alone can’t make people happy, which is why there’s a very high alcoholism/suicide rate among oil workers, despite it typically being a more temporary gig than teaching and paying considerably more. I also hold teachers to a different standard for on-the-job demeanor than oil workers. 3) Per my brother in law, they’re…

1) Because of the low wages.

2) Pay attracts workers. "Happiness" is a separate and personal issue.

3) Anecdata.

4) The fact is that far higher wages would attract American teachers for short periods. It is a free market, until exploitable labor is introduced. Foreign teachers absolutely are suppressing wages, as evidenced by the fact that the wages aren't high enough to attract American teachers.

Re: Federal judge blocks H1B visa $100K fee

#374

Post by triceratops » Thu, Jun 11, 2026, 3:08 PM UTC

spwa4 wrote: post #366

triceratops wrote: post #365

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Every country has laws about who can get passports. In countries without proper rule of law this is often arbitrary. Does that mean all those countries have made emigration illegal?

If the law also says you can't leave without passports, like Chinese law, then yes, obviously.

> If the law also says you can't leave without passports, like Chinese law,

Other countries don't let you in without a passport. Even in the absence of a Chinese law, an airline would deny you boarding if you didn't have a passport.

Re: Federal judge blocks H1B visa $100K fee

#375

Post by triceratops » Thu, Jun 11, 2026, 3:14 PM UTC

spwa4 wrote: post #367

janalsncm wrote: post #361

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Houkou does not prevent a Chinese citizen from leaving a town. People move around all the time. Houkou is about registering to receive public services in the new city within China. In any case Houkou doesn’t prevent a person from leaving the country. A passport does, but this is the same in all countries. > You see, it was always illegal to go outside of the country without Xi's approval and those approvals have most…

That would be "A distinction without a difference" ... a thing bureaucracies are positively excellent at. There's an old Soviet joke: it's allowed! It's just that you haven't submitted your request, in triplicate, in our office in Siberia, open from 24:00 to 24:01 on Februari 30th every year! But it's allowed, with the proper permission. Just go get it!

Except that there is a difference