dr_lha and others are good posters and I don't mean to personally attack anyone here.
Its OK, no offense is taken at all. Its a debate.
However, not all H1 workers are 'skilled.' The biggest reason they are hired is to lower the salary of domestic workers.
This is the fault of the Department of State. H-1Bs are supposed to pass a "prevailing wage" test, which is designed to stop this from happening. The idea is that the H-1B employer has to prove that they are paying the employee at the going rate, and not just using them for cheap labor. A great idea, however DoS have screwed it up by using ridiculous numbers. The last time I had the prevailing wage report done for me, DoS stated that the going rate for my job was $30,000 less than they were offering, and I'm not paid that well, to be honest. $30,000 less than I get now, supporting me and my wife, isn't too far above the poverty limit. This for a job that *requires* a PhD. If DOS did their job properly H-1Bs as cheap labour wouldn't be an issue.
They can get PhD candidates and other smart researchers but they are getting people to just do regular IT jobs ... nothing special.
H-1B does at least have minimum education requirements, and you are required to provide proof of this education to USCIS with the H-1B. I'm not saying what you said doesn't happen, but there are also a lot of super smart people coming over on H-1B that do the country good. Not to toot my own horn, but I myself have spent the last 8 years in service to a certain federal government agency for example.
If millions of illegals can cross into country why can't citizens have the right to bring their family here?
Illegals are that: Illegal. They're breaking the law, you can't use that to justify anything.
Look, maybe its a cultural thing, but I just don't see the justification why someone's move to another country should get immigration benefits for brothers and sisters. My brother and I live independant successful lives, if he wants to move to the USA, he could do so on the basis of his own qualities, he doesn't need a free pass from me.