no you can't and yes you can. very hard to work in the USA for a non US citizen.
USA protect their citizen more than we do in canada, or in europe, resulting in a mass of illegal immigration across the USA.
(we can not stop people to feed themselves and their family, working is a human right even if it is against the law, but this, USA still didn't figure it yet.)
you can still work under a J1 visa, but you have to pay the visa and it is only good for 2 years.