1. Like I said I'm from Europe, unfortunately I do not have a green card. However, I think that if you manage get a job at a company it is possible to move to US and work even without a proper degree. For instance, Tim Van Damme ( http://maxvoltar.com/ ) moved from Belgium to work for Gowalla as a designer and from what I remember reading I don't think he even graduated high school.

2. I'm still trying to decide whether to go for a CS degree or a Graphic Design one, but I can totally see your point. College is useful indeed, I've never said that it's a complete waste of time.