Absolutely not, I don't see it as protectionist either. If NYC had a problem with hiring native born New Yorkers because out-of-staters had comparable or better skillsets for lower prices than I would have no problem seeing a subway campaign saying Hire New Yorkers. I think at some level the barrier needs to be higher for out-of-towners wanting to move to a new place so that the city does not become unlivable for the people that have lived there their whole life or generations. The question is what is the right balance. If tech workers are hurting because they are being undercut by foreign labor I think it is unfair to point a finger and call them anti-immigrant when the system is set up in a way that corporations can abuse the system.
Anecdotally I have previously worked at Wall Street banks that used "Body Shops" with fixed term contracts to fill positions that otherwise Americans could fill. It's awesome working with smart people from over the planet, but the system needs to be configured in such a way that it does not undercut American wages. Companies need to be able to seek out specialized talent that they cannot find in their own local market, but it is abused so much that it cannot continue in its current form.