This narrative is frustrating because it's just not true. The vast majority of H1B visas are not bringing in that level of talent. The program is gamed by offshoring firms that take the lions share of the available visas. For every super smart foreign student we bring in we also bring in 3 really mediocre and talentless offshoring workers.

I completely 100% agree that the US is losing its edge in many ways. And a real visa program would help. But at the moment the H1B program is bad for almost everyone involved, unless you own stock in Infosys/Tata etc.

http://fortune.com/2017/08/03/companies-h1b-visa-holders/

We need to replace it with a real immigration program that weeds out the crap and brings in the best. As it stands super smart people are getting their visas denied while offshoring firms depress wages and take American jobs while producing sub-par products.