One of America’s unique features for the last 238 years is the diversity of the population.  Over time the diversity has been broadened from British, French, German, Polish, and Irish to include people from every continent. Sometimes they came for the opportunity and sometimes they were forced to come to the country.  Each wave of immigrants brought different religions and customs.  The country’s ultimate acceptance of that diversity, which has not always been readily provided, has strengthened the country.  The military has been forced to accept diversity from Native Americans, African Americans, Japanese Americans, Mexican Americans, Indian Americans, etc.  The military has been a social experiment as well as a melting pot.  In every instance, the military is a better organization for it.

With this in mind, I want to echo the need for more Indian Americans and in particular Sikhs in the service of the country. Indian Americans comprise about 3.18 million people, or about 1.0% of the U.S. population.  In 2007, there were estimated to be approximately 250,000 Sikhs living in the United States, with largest populations living on the East and West Coasts with additional populations in Detroit, Chicago, and Austin.   

In the Detroit area, I have friends and business associates who are of Indian heritage that are of the Sikh and Muslim faiths.  I know they enrich the community in which they live and are grateful to be Americans.

It is reported that “The United States should change its policy to allow more Indian Americans to join the military without compromising on their religious beliefs and practices, the only three Sikh soldiers in the U.S. Army say.”  This would allow Sikhs and their offspring to more readily serve the country in the military. The wearing of a turban by a male is a tenant of the religion.  This article in the India West profiles the accomplishments of the three Sikhs currently serving.  It also makes the point that Sikhs serve in other militaries around the world with slight adjustments to the dress code.  Let us continue on the path of being a tolerant country and military.

Read more at http://www.indiawest.com/news/15912-sikh-soldiers-want-more-indian-americans-in-u-s-army.html#g9D6oJSHzsAkHyKK.99

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In an article for Bloomberg, H-1B critic Norman Matloff blames U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, among others for what he calls the demonization of an ethnic group. Sen. Schumer had referred to Indian businesses as “chop shops.” That does not mean, argues Matloff, that he believes the IT industry offshore is in the clear; they often hire cheap labor. But, he says, India does not “abuse” the foreign worker system more than any other country within the technology industry.

If Congress does boost the current H-1B visa cap, as so many hope, there is a concern that U.S. tech workers will be at a greater disadvantage, battling against a theoretically flooded employment market. Lawmakers who oppose a raised cap say they want to protect U.S. high tech workers by restraining visa use by offshore firms.

But others argue that a continued tight cap on the number of H-1B visas as proposed by Sen. Schumer and others is just a way to hobble offshore outsourcing firms.

Outsourcing firms offshore are not required to disclose who makes up their workforce and how many employees are working with a visa status. And if a company is forced to change the percentage of visa-based workers due to an immigration bill, will they then increase their domestic U.S. workers and fill the gap left by the low number of allowed visa holders?

Will visa restrictions or a restriction that bars the largest H-1B employers from sending their visa holders to work at third-party sites push offshore outsourcing businesses to hire more domestic-based employees? There may be business acquisitions which work to increase the U.S. domestic workforce based in offshore firms, or other workarounds which will make the restrictions moot.

Some companies such as IBM may even see gains from these restrictions. IBM continues to be one of the largest IT employers of Indian workers. If visa restrictions simply raise the costs for competitors offshore, U.S.-based companies may grab more of the market –or they may simply expand their own overseas workforces.

A. Banerjee is a Houston immigration attorney in Texas. Before selecting an lawyer, contact the Law Offices of Annie Banerjee by visiting their website at http://www.visatous.com.

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