H1B
Why are people freaking out about H1B? What has changed?
Here are few things that have changed : 1) consultant bodyshops have a tighter noose now. The evc model is officially toast (this was long pending and personally that I support to reign abuse). 2) f1 students out of status is now a cause to be banned. They could be out of status because their international student office didn't update sevis system for example. 3) h4 EAD is in rocks. 4) USCIS memo to deny without option to rfe or noid - largely at the discretion of adjudicator. 5) speciality occupation regulation next year - will redefine what speciality occupation is and will tighten the conditions, making it almost impossible for any h1 folks to qualify. I am fairly sure I missed a few, but here is some anecdotes: 1) someone I know had a PhD in ml was asked an rfe as to why it was speciality occupation. He got job description from his teammates who are researchers to make it clear it's not a simple job. 2) someone from Amazon (that thread is deleted now) who has a cs bachelor's and masters in US had their h1 renewal denied. He was denied because he had computer science and the job was software engineering. Of course, the argument from our folks to keep their sanity is that he is just the 2%. That 2% could have been me is something none of us want to believe in.
#2 on the anecdotes cracked me up. Seems like USCIS emplayees need tech background
Unfortunately, it turns the life of someone upside down. If they had kids, now it means they have to move out, find a new school. Everything from start. Denial has nothing to do with your abilities - at least if it was, you can royally blame yourself for the mess. Don't blame the USCIS employee - he or she is doing what their bosses asked them to do. They are foot soldiers. These same employees approved almost every petition few years back. The direction is set from the top (AG) and they set how less forgiving one should be. You don't blame the propeller of a ship for crashing into another ship. You blame the captain for gross negligence.
Trump doing a good job. You get what you pay for.
Trump got elected as 45th president. Didn't you see the news??