The number of foreign-born workers with specialized technical skills allowed entry into the U. S. was increased to 195,000 in October 2000. At about the same time, Internet companies were closing shop and cutting jobs. Many U.S. born tech workers are claiming that companies are giving preference to the H-1B workers when filling the diminished number of jobs. The U. S. workers claim that H-1B workers are working for less money, although the visa program supposedly has safeguards to protect salary levels of tech workers. One problem cited is the ineffective policing capabilities of the INS.
See "U.S. Tech Firms Abusing Visa Program, Critics Say", JUBE SHIVER Jr., Los Angeles Times, November 20, 2001